Paperwork on Rice Paper
by UrieNanashi
Summary: "Did she really have to fight at all? She wasn't planning on really becoming a ninja. What would they do, she wondered, if she stood before them and simply refused to fight?" As tensions boil between the Uchiha and Hagoromo clans, a Buddhist woman with a fear of heights is reincarnated just as she expected, into the world of 'Naruto'- not at all as she expected.
1. Chapter 1

There was a bell chiming somewhere. It was not a church bell nor any type of bell possessing such a deep sonorous tone. This was high and mellifluous and she _could just_ make it out her own pitiful cries.

Her head ached constantly. It was all too much and too heavy. Her joints ached and she was so desperately tired.

Warm hands engulfed her like they would swallow her whole. Something soft brushed her cheek and sent shivers through her. She was almost aware she was being bounced softly. If she had possessed stronger eyes, and hadn't been bawling out into the night, she might have seen a father face memorizing her with exhausted love.

Although she did not know it at the time, she was born again on a sweltering hot summer's day into the once illustrious Hagoromo clan.

At first thoughts were hard to hold, running through her metaphorical hands like water. The pain was harsh and stinging and so she cried. Her last memories before this had been of pain finally, _finally, blessedly_ fading. The world was too bright now, sounds both thunderously loud and hideously muffled and her body was not her body.

Giving herself some credit she would later think that in the grander scheme of things she had handled the situation rather well.

She would attribute her acceptance mostly to preparedness.

While not as devoted as her old Buddhist parents had been she had believed in reincarnation in her previous life.

(she had _died_. It hadn't been a quick thing. Ugly. Painful. She did not want to think about it. She had known what was coming. There was no use in dwelling on the past. In those long hours alone had she not prepared herself for the inevitable? Once it was clear that no. one. was. coming. to. save. her. _Don't think about it_. But oh the _agony_. Slow and long. The pain she remembered so bitterly. _It means nothing now_ , she told herself.)

Once she realized what must hava happened, she calmed herself and ceased her despairing confused cries. She was a baby she understood and so she cried only when she must.

In the long hours she had to reminisce, she tied to push the old memories from her mind. They weren't supposed to be there anyway. This was life anew.

She passed the first few months in an almost meditative state (a greater feat then she had ever accomplished with such techniques _before_ ); mourning her losses and trying to just _letting it go_. Eventually her headaches lessened and her new body grew stronger. She wasn't happy. Not yet. But suffering was something she has spent a lifetime studying and conquering and she knew it will come eventually.

From her crib she observed what she could. This house… this world seemed old. The floors worn thick beams of wood and most of the doors were sliding paper. There was a wind chime outside her window that tinkled in the breeze sometimes.

She finds her new name is 'Yuuko' and it meant something like 'brave child'.

Even before she learned how strange it was to give such stereo-typically male kanji to a female name, she knew it was poorly chosen. (Her old name- no. That didn't matter now.)

She has never been brave in that sensationalized way. Her bravery was silent but sure. It is not a type of bravery she will find to be praised or desired in this new world she has come into.

Crawling granted her new ways to finally interact with this world. And there was so much to explore- a new life to discover. It pushed her to ask questions she had not had the energy to ask before. Where was she? When was she?

The house and the customs of her new family hold many characteristics she knew to be Japanese, old Japanese, in origin (the removal of shoes for slippers at the front door, the sliding paper doors, certain clothing styles ) But there were hints of things more typically Chinese in origin too.

The layout of the house for example; particularly the four sides of the house opening to a small 'Sky Well' type courtyard with a pond in the middle, reminded her a great deal of the old Siheyuan houses she had once studied. The language too was strange. Not quite Japanese, not quite Chinese, not quite Korean. It proved very difficult to grasp.

Her new mother, Takeko Hagoromo, was kind but distant. Like joy had been bled out of her over many years of a hard life. Her new father, Tsubasa Hagoromo, was soft and gentle but often weary. It was her brother, Hayato Hagoromo who was the spark in the family. But none of them are around much in those first few months and she was often passed between those she learned were extended family members. She missed her brother most when they were all away. She had not had a brother before.

She saw herself in a mirror one time and with blurry eyes her reflection looked back. She was tiny with a head of puffy brown hair and overly large molten russet eyes. Her cheeks fat and her fingers and toes so small it was shocking.

Early one morning, light casting through her open window and the wind chime twinkling, Yuuko opened her eyes to see her father leaning over her, hands crossed on the crib railing. He reached out a giant calloused hand to her and gently took her tiny one. He had a wide nose and shoulders and dark molasses eyes. Tsubasa picked her _oh_ so carefully and his kisses tickled with his scruff. Yuuko laughed then. She breathed the crisp air and giggled and was over joyed. Because she was _alive_. These people loved her and she had a whole new heart with plenty of room for them inside. And she was _alive!_

Eventually she finds clues that the world here was not as pre-industrial had she had initially believed. On the main floor, in the kitchen, tucked up in a corner near the ceiling was a speaker. Its purpose was elusive to her as it was never on. The house had indoor plumbing but the speaker was the first piece of electricity she'd seen here and it was an odd sight when her mother still cooked on heated coals.

(They were sitting on the cool floor playing a card game she was still learning the rules to when she decided to try asking.

"whay's d'er?" she tried, pointing a pudgy tiny finger up toward the ceiling. Her new voice is high and slightly lisped- words slipping unevenly from an unskilled mouth.

Her brother, sitting on the stone floor with her, twisted his head to see what she was pointing at. He turned back to her with a strained smile. "Why is that there?" he puppet-ed back the correct question to her. He was always did that and she always appreciated it. "It's in case…well. So, that's a loud speaker and all the important houses have one. It only goes off in case of emergencies so if you hear it come-on find mom, dad, or me."

'Emergencies'? Like a fire or earthquake alarm? But Hatayo was standing up and brushing off his pants and collecting the cards. "Try not to worry about it too much! It's just there to help keep everyone safe. It's time for bed anyway, Yuuko-chan. Did you pick out a story for me to read you tonight?" he reached down and lifted her like a feather. She tugged a little on his hair playfully. Hayato was the only one here to really hug her.)

Dying had been painful, sure. Being reborn had been a challenge, true. But the day Yuuko found out where she was, was the truest test of her spirit.

(The morning of her second birthday she woke at Aunt Katsumi's house to the twittering of birds. Similar in style to her own, this house was smaller and eerily empty but for her aunt. Although she must have been only a few years older than Yuuko's new mom, Katsumi was much older in both looks and personality. Her brown hair streaked with a few grays and a perpetually hard set look on her mouth.

Yuuko tried to be a good child for her whenever she had to stay over but Katsumi was the type of person looking for something to complain or scold about. Her aunt dressed her that day in all new clothing; a strange dress that was essentially a longer, more 'dress like', version of a Chinese Chang'ao. It was a soft blue with traditional kimono like trim but it had no obi and was much looser, closing by crossing over and buttoning on her right. The short sleeves, while not something she had ever seen on 'real' Chang'ao, were a blessing the sweltering heat and they were beautifully embroidered with that she now knew was 'their sign'- a dot or circle surrounded by three emanating half circles. The Hagoromo clan symbol.

"Take care you don't get dirty." Aunt Katsumi warned in an irritated manner as she pushed Yuuko's feet into new black hard-cloth ankle boots. "And pick up your things. Your troublesome brother should be by shortly to take you home."

Her brother was sweating a little in the heat and his chocolate brown hair was puffier then normal when he came to fetch her. Aunt Katsumi stood ever grumpy by her side as he walked up and gave a quick bow as she passed Yuuko over into his arms. Situated on his hip, together the two head off down the street.

"Did you have a good time with aunt Katsumi?" Hayato asked half teasingly. Yuuko shook her head exasperatedly. "aways gwumpy" She told him and he laughed, "Always grumpy indeed!"

The houses here were all the same style as hers and they are close together too. There was a wall that ran around them all, enclosing them in. she wondered about sometimes but couldn't think of how to ask about it. Children ran and played in the streets, men walked by carrying baskets of fresh groceries, and every now and then there was a faint swooshing sound that she couldn't pinpoint.

A long haired man came striding quickly along, speaking into some type of radio, and wearing the most outlandish outfit she had yet seen. The top was some strange butchered cut of a yellow patterned Kimono but he was wearing loose yellow and red flower pants underneath and had a huge piece of armor tied to his left shoulder and engraved with the Hagoromo mark. The look was completed by the most ridiculously tall Geta shoes, probably 7 or 8 inches tall. She almost wanted to laugh but people seemed to be quick to get out of his way and even her brother offered a bow as he passed by so he must be important.)

The sliding doors in the house had all been pushed open, trying to tempt in any breeze. The main door had red banners plastered to the sides with beautiful black calligraphy that she couldn't read.

As they passed into the house Yuuko reached a hand out to touch the banners. Hayato stopped and put her down on her squishy feet and he crouched down beside her. He watched as she runs her hands over the characters. "Whas say'in?" she asked, scrunching her face in annoyance with her continued struggles with the language.

"What does it say?" her brother told her kindly, still watching her intently, "They are wishes for your birthday. That one reads 'strength, wealth, victory'. We write them so that hopefully when you grow up you make lots of money and win lots of battles and all that." He wiggled an eyebrow at her as if to say 'fancy yeah?', but Yuuko only frowned. Those were not the things she would wish for. And 'battles'? why battles?

"Why'd a be fight'n battles?"

"Why would you be fighting a battle?" he corrected again but he sounded genuinely surprised. "Don't you want to be a great shinobi for the clan? For the village? Help keep Konohagakure safe from bad guys?" 'shinobi'? Didn't that word mean ninja? What did ninja have to do with anything?

Hayato seemed to misinterpret the look on her face as he scooped her up again, chuckling at her. "Don't worry so much Yuuko-chan! You're going to be a great shinobi! Just like mom and dad. And me of course!" Yuuko wrapped her hands around her brother neck, pondering what he had meant.

As she rested her head on his shoulder her hand fell to the small matte metal arm guard her brother sometimes wore and she traced the metal engraving there thoughtfully. Then her stomach sunk. They were in the kitchen before she realized and her father was at the table speaking in a low serious murmur to an absolutely humongous man sitting across from him.

Her mother stepped away from the fire and was by them in an instant. Takeko brushed a quick kiss to her daughters' forehead and pushed back her sons' hair with a meaningful hand. "Thank you for getting her."

" It was no trouble mother. Aunt Katsumi's house isn't that big of a detour back from the training grounds anyway." He had said 'Konohagakure' but that didn't necessarily mean…maybe that word meant something different. It must. She had already learned that there were characters and words that looked or sounded the same as words and characters from her previous life but with slightly different meanings. 'Konohagakure' must be one of those words. There was no way.

"Come Yuuko-chan. Come meet an old friend of you fathers, Isamu Uchiha-san." U-Chi-Ha? Shinobi? That huge man sitting at the table cast a dark eye on her. She felt a little light headed, the air suddenly too thin.

"So this is your daughter then Tsubasa." His voice gruff and deep. He was wearing a hitai-ate. It had a leaf on it. Her father's tired face lit with a proud smile and the large man crossed his arms against his chest. His arms were big enough to crush her head like a nut cracker. Shinobi. There was a rushing in her ears. Her face felt cold and an uncomfortable heat burnt on her upper lip. She felt sick. How had this happened? Did this happen to everyone when they reincarnated? Ninja. Oh she wanted absolutely no part in any of this.

* * *

 **So welcome. I have no idea what I'm doing posting this as I haven't posted anything on this site for years. Normally I'm strictly a reader, not a writer. Plus I wrote this all on my phone, lost it, and had to rewrite it. But I powered through because this just won't leave me alone. I don't know how long this will be but get ready for politics and cultural exploration galore. Unbeta-ed. Helpful critique is appreciated but please be gentle with me.**

 **Also I want to make clear that I am not Buddhist. I know (and share) some of their practices and beliefs but if I get something wrong please just kindly let me know. I'm doing all kinds of research for this fic (about Buddhism and a bunch of other things too) but I'm obviously not perfect. Far from it in fact.**

 **Inspired by Silver Queen's 'Dreaming of Sunshine', SixPerfections 'Walk on the Moon', but mostly by the crazy awesome AU prompts I saw and thought of for Aleycat4eva's 'Of the River and the Sea'. Credit where credit is due- go check out those authors. I don't own Naruto- only time I'm ganna say it.**

 **Bye.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Resolutely train yourself to attain peace." –Utthana Sutta of the Sutta Nipata

She did not remember much of her celebratory dinner beyond that point.

She sort of remembered swallowing tasteless chunks of steamed vegetables and her father sharing a drink that stank of alcohol with his 'old friend'. Thankfully it was early in the evening when Takeko decided her daughter looked ill and took Yuuko upstairs for an early bedtime.

She was in Naruto. Or at least, in Konohagakure. In a world that thrived on violence. A world whose very structure was held together by the fragile bonds on mercenary clans. People who _murdered_ for a living.

The realization of where she was and what was likely to be required of her; pained her far more than being reincarnated ever had. Even in those first few weeks of endless confusion and pain.

It plagued her, a shadowed leach in her mind. And in the night when the silence was pounding against her ears (she had not thought the stillness unnatural before but now everything felt wrong), she heard her own heartbeat in her head and worried.

She thinks of her new brother- of what he was undoubtedly training to become.

Other questions, questions she had avoided looking at before, wormed their way through her skull. The ideas of Buddhist reincarnation are often misunderstood and misrepresented by the general public. People regularly mistake reincarnation to be one consciousness continuing into another body. Like the mind of a man stuck inside a dog. In truth, 'rebirth' may be a better term that more accurately represents the belief. Buddhism taught that there was no fixed consciousness between lives. When one was reborn they were both wholly separate and wholly the same as who they had been before. Like a burning candle or a flowing river- the change was constant and nonexistent. But somehow, she has retained her memories. At least those of her last life. She was unsure of what it meant. She did not however remember if there had been _bardo_ or _antarabhāva_ \- an intermediary state between lives- or if she had closed one set of eyes and opened another.

Two days of almost blind panic pass before she regained some mastery of herself.

Ultimately she came to the conclusion that, well, she was here. There was no undoing it. To fight or deny this was foolish. She needed to calm down and think.

This world was not all darkness. Yuuko had always believed that people were inherently good. And there was wonder to be had here too- if all those bad things were true of this world, she should think of the good. People who could cure droughts with a flick of their wrists, people who could heal wounds with the touch of their hands.

And so that night as she lay awake with tired eyes, Yuuko forced a few deep breaths. The summers were so hot that even at night they left all the windows open. She supposed there was no risk of thievery here. ( Or, wait… did magical ninja make theft more or less likely? She couldn't decide.)

Yuuko cast her mind back and tried to recall what she remembered of the plot- that story she had read so very long ago.

She had liked the plot for Naruto himself. She had a clear memories of being starkly disappointed when it was revealed that Naruto was the son of a Hokage. Naruto had been a 'nobody', an underdog rising above everyone's expectations and defying the conventions that village set for him. Except it turned out that he was a 'chosen one' type character. He was special, different- He just hadn't known it. It had felt like the whole heartfelt message had been undercut. But she was getting off track.

She knew that Naruto's golden haired look-alike of a father had been a Hokage at some point (a Hokage. An actual leader- like a President or Prime Minister. Or perhaps more accurately- a dictator. A ruler of a real place she was now living in. How did the government here work? _Was_ it a military dictatorship? Was Konoha a vassal state? What was the judicial system like?) She thought he had possibly been Kakashi's teacher too. And there was something about a bridge she though had been important. It had blown up? Or wait, no, hadn't Naruto ensured it had gotten built? It had been named after him, Yuuko thought. Maybe it was blown up and then rebuilt?

Well, she did know that at the start of the series the only Uchiha in Konoha had been Sasuke. His older brother had massacred the whole clan in a night. (That was a real thing. That was the kind of stuff that happened in that world- this world? All those people…real people. Dead.) But there had been some kind of evil plot going on there hadn't there? Something about an evil cult group that wore red clouds on black cloaks and Itachi trying to save his brother. That sounded vaguely right. And the evil organization had been run by a leader who was using someone elses body but that man had turned out to be a decoy for another man who was a man pretending to be someone else pretending to be someone else but they too had ended up also being a decoy. And Sakura had learned to punch down trees somewhere along the way. It was all rather convoluted and fuzzy.

But really what did any of that matter? This was not a show or book. This was a world she now lived in. What could someone like her do in the face of people who were basically walking atomic bombs. What did she _want_ to do?

Because to say the thought of training to become a child soldier and murder people in the name of something as ambiguous and fleeting as "the village" would be an understatement. Even putting aside the dangers it would place her in or the morality of using children for such things, Yuuko abhorred violence. Truly. The most violent thing she had ever done in her past life was when she had been in elementary school. She'd hit a boy in the eye with her shoe for teasing her incessantly on the bus. She'd felt awful after and had cried right along side that boy in the principles office. The idea of having to commit true violence (to KILL people) was not one she could stomach. And one could debate until blue in the face about 'but if it was you or a stranger' or 'someone you loved or a stranger' but Yuuko figured that you probably never really know until you are in that situation. Yuuko never intended to find out what she would do. She won't put herself in that position. A soldier she most certainly was not, and killing went against every fiber of her being.

So the question became- what was she going to do about that fact that everyone around her seemed perfectly content to assume this was the path her life would take?

The answer was: that she didn't know yet. She needed time to think.

So she tried to put it aside. Focus on the fact that this was a new life- a new start. But still...in the deep parts of her mind that rose of quite nights...it lingered.

Private lessons with a tutor began not long after her birthday celebration. Her new teacher was tall for her young age with long braided hair down her back. She was a Hagoromo, of course, and introduced herself in a brisk voice as 'Ayaha Sensei'. In another world Ayaha would barely be considered a woman; here she was already a war veteran. She'd been a close combat kunoichi until an ambush and poison gas had left her with a dead team and untreatable Chakra path damage. Unsurprisingly, she had an edge to her personality that spoke to her time on the frontlines and was exceedingly intelligent. On their very first meeting Ayaha told her seriously that she would be learning in a style known as 'full learning philosophy', not that Yuuko knew what that was. "Put your shoes on. We will start by getting you familiar with our village."

Dutifully, Yuuko put on her cloth boots and allowed Ayaha to take her hand. Her teacher led her through the streets until they arrive at the closed gates of the Hagoromo compound. Ignoring the chuunin guards stationed there, Ayaha turned Yuuko's body to look back the way they had come. "This is where you start." Ayaha told her, "The Hagoromo. I will be teaching you more about who we are- who you are-our culture and history, in later lessons. Remember for now that the Hagoromo are your family. You are always safest inside these walls." ' _What a reassuring statement._ ' Yuuko thought wryly but nodded her understanding anyway.

Hand clasped by her teachers once more, Yuuko exited the compound for the first time in her new life.

It was both bigger and smaller then she had imagined. All so familiar and so new.

There were so many people (was that blue hair? How did genetics here work?), such diverse styles of architecture, the trees were larger than any real tree she had ever seen, and facing them – looming high above the buildings, was the renown Hokage Mountain. The stone faces of past Hokage gazed out with ever vigilant eyes. It was probably supposed to be reassuring to Konoha inhabitants but Yuuko found them to be slightly foreboding- like a warning that she was always being watched.

Griping her hand firmly Ayaha began to pull her along. Down the hard dirt roads they pass dozens of shops and restaurants bustling with life; the air was filled with vendors calling to passing potential customers and new foreign smells of spices yet untried. They pass the walls of other clan compounds; some decorative and beautiful others blank and intimidating. Taking it all in Yuuko truly came to appreciate just how much she didn't know about this world and the spirit of curiosity began to take wind in her heart.

Yuuko took the opportunity to wave at all the people she happened passed. Trotting along behind Ayaha through the market she made funny faces at a baby sitting on a distracted woman's hip. Entering a clothing shop, she dutifully held the door open for a woman who was weighed down with bags, the woman's husband right behind her gloating about the shoes he had found. She was truly 'outside' for the first time in her new life and Ayaha's disapproving looks couldn't dampen her grin.

As they walk Ayaha gave brief lectures of things she would later give fuller lessons on.

( "When you are finally given permission to go out alone and if you ever happen to get lost, remember you can orient yourself by the mountain. The front gates are a straight shot away from the mountain and the Hagoromo compound is only a few blocks to the right of the front gates."

"The Aburame clan is bigger than most give them credit for. They are one of the Four Noble clans after all. Aburame are known for living in symbiosis and sharing their bodies with insects. They are infiltration experts." "Four Noble Clans?" Ayaha breaks off her speech at the interruption to look meaningfully down at her. "Yes. The Four Noble Clans are the Uchiha, the Hyūga, the Aburame, and the Akimichi. The Uchiha and Hyūga are most often thought of as the political powerhouses of the clans. While it is true in some respects, smart people do not forget that the Akimichi have cultivated close personal ties with both the Nara and the Yamanaka. It is the Aburame who are most forgotten. They should not be underestimated. Come, we are almost to the Center Tower." 'Underestimated'? That made it sound like they we're an enemy. Didn't all the clans work together to protect the village? Weren't they all allies?

"Konohagakure is of course the Hidden Village of Fire Country. We are led by our Hokage and the Hokage in turn is subservient only to the Fire Daimyō. Thankfully this current Daimyō does not typically involve himself with our internal affairs. Ultimately, the Fire Daimyō manages the civilians outside of Konoha, some political alliances, and agriculture. In return we protect the Will of Fire and allow him to stay the Daimyō. Ah, here. This is Hokage Tower and it the central core of all shinobi life. I am certain you will grow quite familiar with it in later years. The Hokage and the Head Council operate mostly on the upper floors. Mostly, but not always. Clan Council meetings take place here as well." )

They spent almost a week touring the village, examining almost every road, while Ayaha gave running lectures and anecdotes. After that lessons move back inside the compound and Ayaha gave more in-depth analysis of things she had only mentioned in brief.

Yuuko is a hard working student and she devoured what knowldge she could get. Ayaha focused her teachings on history. Well, history, nationalism, and no small dose of politics. While Yuuko wasn't a clan heir, her family was fairly wealthy so it was no surprise she was being trained in such things.

The Hagoromo, she learns, was a small clan. The smallest in Konoha by a very large gap in fact, but it was an ancient clan too. It dated back to even before the formation of Hidden Villages and their history with the Uchiha clan was almost as long. The Hagoromo were the only clan in Konoha to have what was essentially a matriarchal system, something that was apparently more common in the high mountains of Iron Country. While they had no kekki genkai or doujutsu, the Hagoromo had developed some unique skills over their long history. Most of the techniques they created allow them to disrupt chakra flow and escape from genjutsu. It evolved out of necessity from working alongside such intense and heavy genjutsu users like the Uchiha.

The Hagoromo also had several other unique cultural aspects that separated them from other clans (a fact they took great pride in). The most important was called a 'Tetsubasa' or 'Iron Wing'. Tetsubasa were intricate pieces of armor made for the left shoulder or arm. Typically they are given as a gift when a Hagormo becomes a genin. The started mostly blank but for the wearers name and the clan symbol and as the person's career grew so too did their Tetsubasa become more elaborate. "True warriors have their legends engraved upon their arms for all to see and fear," Ayaha told her, gesturing with deep pride to her own Tetsubasa.

She also finally learned that the formal style of dress she was often given to wear, the one that reminded her so much of a Chinese 'chang'ao', was called a 'chang'pao'. Sometimes the way this work so closely resembled her old one was bizarre.

Yuuko learned things Ayaha didn't specifically tell her too. The first and most important thing is that Konoha was at war. This she hears from soft exchanged between her parents and the gossip that leaches from the streets. It was a war Konoha was winning, although Yuuko did not know enough to really use that information to give her a time frame for when exactly she was in the story. For all she knew this could be far after the series and the Uchiha had somehow made a miraculous recovery. She also discovered a struggle that ran deep within every clan member in every clan in Konoha: a constant pressure to put both the village and the clan first. She picked this up in the strange veiled dichotomy of Ayaha's teachings ("The Will of Fire must be protected above all." "The clan is your heart and it is your duty to protect and follow as all costs." "The Hokage is our village father, and as such his orders are absolute.") When she attempted to get a solid answer about what a ninja was supposed to do if clan and Hokage orders contradicted, Ayaha grew increasingly vague and philosophical until Yuuko was pretty sure her teacher was spouting nonsense for lack of an answer. It was an impossible demand by any also knew that things between the Hagoromo and the Uchiha were becoming stained now for the first time in learns this from the whispers of unease on the streets and the mutterings of her own parents.

Learning all of this history does not make the idea of becoming a ninja any more appealing to her. Neither Ayaha's subtle praising of the Will of Fire nor her undertones of nationalism sway her mind at all. But Yuuko will not deny that it was fascinating and that she enjoyed learning it.

Her third birthday passed and while there was no real push to get her training there also didn't seem to be any discussion awaiting about her future. Instead there were subtle nudges - encouragements to join her brother in morning stretches, talk of how exciting academy was, books on famous ninja. Her parents and brother move forward without even the smallest thought that life as a shinobi might not be what she desired. She really was going to have to think of something.

Two and a half months after her third birthday Aunt Katsumi leaves the village on some kind of trip (Yuuko is not told the details) and so Hayato was watching her. They spend the morning playing card games (she was finally getting the rules down) and doing minor household chores. Yuuko was helping her brother wash the floors when someone knocked on the door. With wet sleeves and messy hair, Hayato dropped his cleaning rag and jumped up to open the door. Yuuko tottered after him and observed as he pulled the door open to reveal a boy who had to be Kotaro Humasa.

Her brother had told her a little of his genin team in the past. Kotaro Humasa was a civilian recruit her brother had mentioned once or twice. He had faded red hair and dressed practically in standard traditional gray pants and shirt with black open toed sandals. On his hip was a belt fitted with pouches, shuriken, and a pair of yawara. To Yuuko, he, more than anyone else she had yet seen, looked most like what the ninja of Japan had probably looked like. But while his outfits' practicality was undeniable, its relative simplicity and 'modernity' made it very obvious he was of civilian background.

Her stomach turned a little at the thought- because how off putting was it that she could tell that now from just a glance?

Oblivious to her internal strife, Hayato greeted the sullen boy warmly. "Kotaro! You don't normally come to see me! Would you like to come in?" The boy gave her brother an unimpressed look, "We have a mission. We move out in thirty minutes." Yuuko glanced between them as her brother blinked in surprise "What? Really?! But I'm watching Yuuko-chan tonight!" Kotaro shifted his feet and offered a shrug, "It is what it is. Take it up with the Hokage if you have a problem." Finally sparing a look down at his teammate's sister he shrugged again. "She looks old enough to be on fine on her own to me but whatever. Leave her at the park if you're worried, plenty of Uchiha eyes to watch her there. We'll be back before nightfall if we leave on time." The pointed look he gave threatened consequence if Hayato should prove the reason they were late. Ignoring her brother's displeased expression he turned to walk off "its twenty five minutes now." He warned and took off down the street.

Hayato turned back to her with deeply troubled eyes so she walked up and hugged his legs (she was still so short. Sometimes she would reach for things and find she just couldn't reach- fingers falling short and catching thin air.) Yuuko's small arms wrapped around him, and she craned her head back to look up at him with honest eyes. "I can stay in the park. I went once with Ayaha Sensei. I won't wonder off any'dwhere and you'll be back soon." Her speech had been improving dramatically recently, thanks in no small part to Hayato's continued patience and corrections. Grabbing her under the arms her big brother lifted her up to his hip. "I can play with d'a other kids" she tried to reassure and he 'humm'ed under his breath contemplatively. "I don't have much of a choice. I'd ask another clan family but a lot of us are out on missions right now."

Suddenly he swung her around in the air, Yuuko's little feet soaring out as he held her under the arms and twirled. He set her back on her feet and spoke in a brighter tone that sounds only a little forced, "grab your shoes and a snack. I'm going to grab some things really quick from my room and then I'll drop you off. Quick, quick! I'll race you!" With a giggle she hurried off even though she knew there was no possible way she could come anywhere close to matching his blinding speed.

Jowangshin Park, although not technically inside Uchiha clan grounds, was almost always full of Uchiha children. Hayato stood beside her as Yuuko tracked the children playing about. He seemed reluctant to let go of her hand which she thought was a little silly because they were quite literally just outside of the compound. Jowangshin Park stopped where the wall to the Hagoromo compound began and just about half of it was an open field of grass. Farther down there was an open dirt field with some small wooden targets. "I'm really sorry about this Yuuko-chan. This should be the only time we have to do this though, alright? Aunt Katsumi should be back by the end of the week. And I promise you won't have to be here too long." She felt rather bad he was so clearly bothered by leaving her here.

The relationship between the Uchiha and the Hagoromo was a strange one. They had been allies even before the creation of Hidden Villages, even before the wars with the Senju; in fact they had been allies so long the alliance pre-dated any record. But things had become more strained recently from what she could gather and she thought it probably had something to do with the population boom the Uchiha were experience. In contrast, the Hagoromo had been shrinking at an alarmingly fast rate.

So while this park should be a safe place for Hagoromo children to play, there was this undercurrent of unease and defensiveness that made Hagoromo parents very wary of letting young children outside the compound unattended. And the nervous suspicious behavior was likely, Yuuko thought, making the Uchiha nervous in turn. Yuuko privately considered the whole thing to be quite ridiculous. "I'll be fine," She told her brother honestly. Her big brother cast her a doubtful look but nodded helplessly. "I'll be back long before dark. But if something happens…" She tilted her head and watched his nose scrunch in indecision. "Go to the closest adult?" she proposed but he shook his head. She blinked back in surprise. Really? What was she supposed to do then? "If something happens go straight back to the Hagoromo gates. I know some of the Chuunin that are stationed there on watch duty today." Ahh. She wondered if tensions were even higher then she had realized or if this was just the signs of a culture that valued independence in children. _Perhaps it is both_ , she mused. "I will," She agreed.

Actually glancing around she realized there didn't seem to be any 'real' adults in the park at all. She could spot two teenage Uchiha who were definitely wearing headbands. They stood on opposite ends of the park and were removed from the playing children but they couldn't have been much older than thirteen or fourteen. But she supposed that might actually classify as 'adult' here. The thought saddened her a little before she shook her head. With one last hug and a promise to be back as soon as he could, Hayato took off.

* * *

So I'm back. And look at this; I have people reviewing and following me!? What are you all doing here? Thank you to you all.

Here is some world building and cultural- political stuff. Do remember that Yuuko doesn't know the full context of things so sometimes her perceptions are a little off. Sometimes however it means that she will see things more clearly too. Also she is definitely not a perfect Buddhist either.

And I added a picture. It's the first piece of art I've every drawn on a tablet- and I think little Yuuko-chan turned out alright.

Let me know what you all think. As always- comments and criticisms are appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

" 'As I am, so are these. As are these, so am I.' Drawing the parallel to yourself, neither kill nor get others to kill"- from the Nalaka Sutta in the Sutta Nipata

Yuuko watched the children play, hands clasped before her and feet fidgeting slightly. Recognizing her own ticks she realized she was a little intimidated by the children here. She hadn't had many opportunities to interact with the other children of this world yet. Her own family had never commented on her maturity or what they likely saw as 'rapid development' but that didn't mean that these children wouldn't find her weird. For all the reputation the Uchiha clan name brought, the children here didn't seem too different from the children of _before_. The warm winds blew the tall grass and the young Uchihas' chased each other in what must be a game of 'ninja'. Perhaps they were a _little_ more reserved but they were no less joyful in their play- smiles and laughter seeping passed stoic faces.

Farther off where the grass gave way to a dirt clearing, a few older children practiced throwing wooden kunai and shuriken at target stumps with steep determination and concentrated focus. Over and over they threw them and under the laughter Yuuko could hear the constant ' _thump_ ' ' _thump_ ' - like a heartbeat or a drum.

With the sun beaming and the laughter of children in the air, Yuuko wished she could take off her boots and dig her toes into the earth. But she supposed such things weren't befitting of a clan child and it would probably upset Hayato to return and find her with dirty feet.

With a sigh she headed off towards the dirt clearing, not to watch the children practice, but to have access to the dirt itself. She didn't have any sand but she figured that she could pass the time just as well with the dirt.

Sitting her butt down on the edge of the grass, conscious to be far enough away from the kunai throwers, she swept a hand through the dirt to set a smooth even space. Then she got to work taking small clumps of fine dirt and draining it through her fist, drawing the beginnings of a circle and its inner designs. In another time and another place, when she had been the same size as now, a different mother had sat beside her at a cherry wood table and shown her beautiful colored sands. Yuuko bat the memory away with practiced ease.

Focusing on the pressure of the dirt sliding through her fingers and watching the shapes begin to form helped center her mind. The sounds of running and laughter didn't vanish- more fell away. She breathed in the moment. This one moment in a universe in which all things were temporary. She felt better here than she had in a long time. The worry of what was to come was not part of this moment. Neither was the still persistent lingerings of her past. Only now.

A fuzzy thought came to her as she worked. ( _thump_ , _thump_ )There had been a test at the end of academy, hadn't there? And tests- well…tests could be failed. A way to perhaps please both family obligation and moral compass. Something to consider when she wasn't trying to clear her mind anyway.

Yuuko lost track of all time as she worked. Therefore, she didn't know how long she had been working when she realized with a jolt that someone was crouched in front of her. "Hey! What'cha making there, little sis?" The boy who was definitely not her brother asked with a grin.

She felt her own eyes dilate in surprise. Vaguely she took notice of the sounds of the park coming back into focus; the stirring of the wind, the thumping of practice shuriken ( _thump_ , _thump_ ), an argument between children. Catching up with the world again she recognized his statement as a little rude and she opened her mouth to scold him. He was gone. What? She blinked and her brain took a few more seconds to catch up with her eyes. He had vanished. What had just happened? Oh yeah, ninja were a thing here. Had he been a ninja? From her briefest glimpse she thought he could have only been a few years older than her. Even in this world that seemed a little young, right? Had he been wearing a headband?

"Are you drawing a picture?" This time she actually let out a small but startled scream. He was behind her, hands on his kneed bending over her shoulder and looking down at her dirt mandala.

He had the audacity to laugh at her then, still grinning. "Sorry little sis, didn't mean to scare you," He said. But his sincerity was questionable in the wake of his certainly over innocent smile and Yuuko thought he looked rather unrepentant. "I'm not your sister," She informed him. Just in case he had somehow managed to mistake her for a different child.

Biting her lip she took the chance to study him more closely now as he plopped down beside her. It was clear he was an Uchiha; black hair, larger black eyes, and dark navy shirt. She didn't see a headband though- did ninja always have to wear them? Did ninja get vacations? Casual Fridays? Her fingers picked at each other as he inspected her 'drawing'. This was her first real interaction with a clan outsider (excluding that Uchiha who had visited on the horrible night that had been her second birthday party. She'd spent most of that dinner trying not to black out from shock anyway so she didn't think it really counted.) Absentmindedly she considered if this extreme caution was a side effect of having been kept within compound wall for so long. _Probably_ , she figured, _and it's probably a purposeful one too_.

Taking all that into consideration, she attempted to put aside her suspicions and nerves. The boy was being a little blunt and familiar with her but she should be attempting to reach out here, right? Make friends? When in doubt; don't get mad, get curious.

Still grinning the Uchiha boy reached out and poked her in the nose. "Nee, what should I call you then if not 'little sis', little sis?"

Oh. He was doing that on purpose wasn't he?

Yuuko jerked her head back away from him. Why did she feel like she was missing something here? A culmination of this Uchiha's boldness and her brother's wariness told her she was missing some context for …something. For whatever this was.

His large but no less sharp eyes still watched her beneath a smile, seemingly waiting for a response. Yuuko breathed deeply to hold back a sigh. She did not enjoy feeling so suspicious of people.

"You can call me 'Hagoromo-san'," Yuuko told him calmly. For reasons unknown to her, her answer just made the boys smile stretch a little farther. "Oh, so you are a Hagoromo then, little sis. It's not that often we see little Hagormo like you out and about," he told her. She stated back into the boys beaming face blankly. He had to have known she was a Hagoromo before he had approached her- if her feathery brown hair wasn't a dead giveaway, then the giant clan symbols on her sleeves definitely were.

Ah. He was trying to be irritating on purpose, she observed. Perhaps maybe not full out irritating but he certainly seemed to be trying to play a line; leave others guessing whether it was intentional or not. How strange. She didn't think an Uchiha like him could just be that unaware of propriety.

Seemingly picking up that she didn't know how to respond, the boy focused back on her very basic mandala and asked, "What are you drawing then, little Hagoromo sis?" Yuuko tightened her shoulders a little now that it was clear he was purposefully prodding at her and instead of tell him off, looked back down at the sparse beginnings of a traditional Tibetan mandala design. "I watched you working away so hard at it but I can't figure out what it's supposed to be," the older boy continued cheerfully.

She pouted a little and wondered if he had _meant_ to imply she was bad at drawing. Taking a breath, she tried to block her own irritation at his attitude. "It rep'wesents the universe," She informed him and he sputtered a little in what had to be exaggerated surprise, "The universe? I thought you were making up a new clan symbol or something."

Yuuko locked eyes with the black eyed Uchiha. "The circle rep'wesents the universe. It is an exercise in imp'owermanence," She told him seriously. He cocked his head to the side and lost his grin for the first time. Looking back down, he seemed to consider it anew for a moment, "Well, it's very good, little Hagoromo sis. Very pretty."

Yuuko's brown eyes flicked back to his but his face seemed sincere this time. "Thank you," she murmured as she reached out and dragged a hand slowly through the designed- the coarse dirt between her fingers smudging away hours of work. "Seems kind of silly to work so hard on something you don't get to keep," he commented, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck. "I told you it was an exercise in imp'owermanence. All things end. Its beauty was not less meaningful because it was f'weeting."

When she looked back the boys smile had returned enforce, "You're an odd one aren't you, little sis?" Ignoring Yuuko's frown he grabbed her hand and pulled her to standing. "You want to throw some kunai with me? I can show you how to throw them if you haven't before," He asked cheerfully, waving a wooden kunai at her and trying to pull her towards the practice targets as though her desire to learn was guaranteed.

Yuuko dug in her black cloth boots a little and tried to pull her hand back. In the background she half consciously noted that the argument between some of the children had gotten louder. Stopping in surprise at the resistance, the boy let go and allowed her to pull her hand back. "I don't want to!" she warbled in distress, voice a little louder than she had intended. He stepped back a little with a concerned face, "Nee, I didn't mean to upset you, little Hagoromo sis. I just thought-" but the boys thoughts wouldn't be voiced because the argument off to their left picked up with a shriek of, "I can too! Just watch!" and both of their heads whip towards the sound in time to catch another Uchiha shove his fellow clan member in the chest and flash out several metal kunai. Red cheeked in anger, he threw them not two feet from where Yuuko and her Uchiha companion were standing. The Uchiha beside her bristled in anger. "Hey! Those are not toys!" he chided sharply and stomped over towards his fellow Uchiha.

Yuuko on the other hand had seen what exactly that boy had been throwing the kunai at, because there at her feet was a tiny little lizard like salamander pinned in the side by the sharp blade. Eyes wide, she knelt down and picked up the tiny injured creature into her own little hands. Leaving the blade in the dirt she turned in a panic and scanned the park.

As quickly and as carefully as she could, heart pounding uncomfortably in distress, she hurried towards one of the two headband wearing Uchiha she had noticed when she had first entered the park. The teenage Uchiha girl stared down at her with apathetic eyes as she ran up with the salamander cradled in her hands. "Please," she beseeched with watery eyes, "he's hurt!" The girl looked back at her with slightly confused eyes before frowning unconcernedly, "It's just a salamazard," she shrugged. "Can't you help him?" Yuuko asked desperately. "I don't know Iryō Ninjutsu and even if I did I wouldn't waste chakra on something like that," The girl scoffed slightly. Dismissing Yuuko, the older girl meandered over to the still arguing children; deciding she would rather deal with that then the ridiculous requests of a Hagoromo child.

Looking at the small like thing in her hands she felt hot anger and sorrow run through her. Her legs shook a little and she turned her head quickly scouting for anyone else who might help her. She couldn't save the little guy on her own and it was probably suffering terribly. She couldn't just kill it. She knew it could be saved. If anyone would just care enough to help. There had to be someone compassionate enough to help; even if only for the sake of a distressed child and not the salamander itself.

Inspiration hit her. A flash in her mind to a lesson from Ayaha. There might just be someone in Konoha who would be willing to help. Maybe.

Clutching the little lizard to her carefully, Yuuko bit her lip in the briefest moment of hesitation. With a shake of her head, she turned and took off across the grass and down to the road away from Jowangshin Park. Several dark eyes watched her pass before turning away.

* * *

We finally get some real interaction going on. Where is little Yuuko going? You'll have to wait and see.

Side tid-bit one- The Hagoromo are a canon Naruto clan. Real clan- I'm tweaking.

Side tid-bit two- Yuuko thinks the boy is being rude and a little presumptuous by calling her 'little sis'. In reality this is a cultural thing she is just not getting which he finds rather hilarious.

This was a stressful week in terms of this story- the major reason being timelines. I mean, I knew the Naruto timeline was messed up but seriously it's like a black hole. The longer I stared at it the less sense everything made. So I'm doing my best with what I can make out.

On the positive side I managed to narrow down some further plot points so that's a plus. I'm probably going to edit chapter two tomorrow. constructive criticisms appreciated.

Thank you again to everyone who had 'followed' this story or left reviews. It means a lot. Cookies and hugs for you all.


	4. Chapter 4

"You yourself must strive. The Buddhas only point the way" – Dhammapada (276).

The walls around the Aburame clan compound were even taller than the ones surrounding the Hagoromo compound but there were no guards standing by. Or at least, there were none that she could see. Ayaha had been telling her quite often that she could not always trust her eyes.

The wall looked to be solid concrete with incredibly huge dark wood double doors standing open. Still clutching the lizard, Yuuko cast her eyes around, hovering uncertainly at the threshold. It was probably rude and possibly dangerous to just walk on in to another clans compound without permission or direction but the little lizard in her hands had stopped thrashing and way lying worryingly still.

Unsure of what to do she dithered on her feet, dark boots now dusted with dirt from running. She squeezed her eyes closed and clenched her toes. Carefully grasping the lizard she freed one of her hands and offered a pathetic knock on one of the giant open doors. Nothing happened of course and panic for the little thing finally overcame her manners.

On tentative feet she stepped over the threshold, bit her lip, and started off down one of the incredibly narrow roads at random. The inside was a cramped maze with walls of buildings like an old Venetian alley mixed with a Chinese Hutong and the streets were paved with warn gray tile in geometric cross-hatching patterns. She had absolutely no idea where she was going and the compound, in stark contrast to the usual affairs inside the Hagoromo compound, was eerily quiet. She turned more and more corners and encountered not a single person.

Irrational anger clenched her heart, mixing dazzlingly with her panic and nerves. Hadn't Ayaha said the Aburame were one of the biggest clans? Where was everyone?!

Turning another corner, now certain she would not be able to find her way back out without help, she finally spotted human life. Two clan members; an adult and child heading inside one of the thin doors to a house together. Despite the dry heat they were both wearing absolutely huge coats with high collars and hoods pulled down to reveal only the tips of their noses.

"Wait!" Yuuko cried breathlessly, huffing in nerves and tired from her panicked running. In unison the two turned slowly towards her. Slowing her pace as she hurried up to meet them, she could just make out dark glasses beneath their hoods watching her intently. The child cocked their head to the side at her approach. Together the two cut an intimidating shadow but Yuuko was in no mood to entertain such fears now.

"Please! Please, can you help? Or show me to someone who can? He die going I afraid!" catching the mistake as soon as it left her mouth she huffed her frustration and hastily corrected herself, "I'm afraid he is going to die!"

The two said nothing for several seconds, staring her down from under their hoods and her courage shrunk a little. Because the tall Aburame, the adult, imposing and utterly unreadable was most defiantly a ninja. Their hitai-ate glinted- sewn onto their coat collar.

But the Aburame cared for the small didn't they? They shared their very bodies with bugs- lifeforms that few ever thought to care for. So Yuuko steeled herself and waited for an answer.

The adult tilted their head down in what Yuuko hoped was a curious manner. "A Fire Salamazard." They commented in a bland voice. The small Aburame child reached out and gripped the bottom of the adults coat with a slender hand. "Yes, please? Can you help?" She asked again and to her immense relief the adult bowed their head in assent and gestured toward the opened door to the house they had been entering when Yuuko stopped them. It was only as she crossed inside that it occurred to her that following unknown ninja inside when she may possibly be in trouble for trespassing might not be a good idea. Wasn't that lesson supposed to be drilled into kids by their parents? She didn't even have the excuse of truly being a child. Still it was too late now.

The inside was cool and dim with intricate tile work floors and small thin windows running around the ceiling line. The main floor seemed to be all one room. A staircase was tucked in the back left corner and no wall separated the kitchen from the dinning space. The kitchen ran along the back wall with a long high table with what looked to be tall wooden bar stools. Across the house there was one other door mirroring the main entrance door-' _perhaps a back entrance leading out to the other street?'_ Yuuko wondered vaguely.

"Come, Hagromo-chan" the elder Aburame called, gliding on calm, silent footsteps over to the table. The child Aburame followed close behind their elder who Yuuko supposed must be their parent.

She followed after with anxious footfalls and, taking a cue from a silent hand gesture, reached up on tip toes to gently release the lizard from her warm hands on to a small cloth on the table. Finished, she stepped back and her hands fell to grip the sides of her dress. "So you can help?" she asked, bronze eyes wide and watchful. Large pale hands emerged from thick sleeves and inspected the little creature closely. The child Aburame climbed up onto one of the stools to watch. A vibrant green glow filled the room as what Yuuko knew must be healing chakra emanated from the Aburame's hands. Yuuko had seen chakra light only a few times before. Late at night, when it was only Hayato and her at home and they had both grown tired of card games, her brother would show her small tricks- Glowing hands and magic sticky leaves. Even if she didn't want to be a ninja, the awe hit her every time she saw chakra's glow. That such things were possible…there were no words she had to describe the wonder.

It was with piercing relief she took in the Aburame's eventual assuring nod. "Yes, Hagoromo-chan. I will help." And the room fell into silence for several minutes. A still quiet filled only with the sounds of two children breathing for despite what Yuuko had presumed a lifetime ago, Chakra produced no hum.

"A pet?" a flat but inquisitive voice asked from across the table. The little Aburame child in the large moss green coat had switched focus onto her. "No. No…I…I just wanted to save it," she replied hesitantly.

Both Aburame stared at her from beneath hoods and glasses.

"What is your name, Hagoromo-chan?" The adult Aburame inquired as they dropped their hands and the glow faded; healing complete. "Ah! I'm sorry! I was so worried about- forgive me. My name is Yuuko Hagoromo," She stammered and hurried to explain, "I was at the park- Jowangshin Park, and someone threw a kunai at the lizard and everyone was just going to let him die." "This salamazard if female," The Aburame child informed her seriously, "This particular female is of the common Hitokage species. They can grow to be up to 8 inches in length at full maturity. As the red lighting markings have not yet reached the full length of its tail, it is clear that this one is still young." Yuuko's eyes flickered back and forth from straight faced child to the elder Aburame who seemed content to observe them both. Undaunted and unceasing the child continued to impart their knowledge onto Yuuko, "Females of this species live for around 2 years although some have been known to live up to 5. They survive mostly on a diet of mosquitoes and ants. Unlike other common salamazard, this species is known to enjoy sunbathing, making them a common sight in Konoha and most of Fire country."

A little intimidated by the lengthy explanation that felt a little like a lecture, Yuuko was unsure of how to respond to all that. Lacking anything constructive to say in response she settled for, "Oh. ..That's interesting." The other child shifted to sit a little straighter.

"Sit, Hagormo-chan. The salamazard is resting. I will make tea." The adult Aburame declared in an inscrutable voice that would hear no argument.

So Yuuko pulled herself onto one of the tall chairs, feet swinging slightly. The little lizard creature lay still on the table, seemingly asleep. Assured now that 'she' would survive a pressure eased off Yuuko's heart. She sniffled a little, nose runny, but thankfully there were no tears.

Across from her the Aburame child continued to stare her down in silence. She couldn't help herself from shifting just a little uneasily.

"I am Jun Aburame. This little one is Nao Aburame." Jun informed her; suddenly back at the table with a try of teacups and a steaming ceramic tea pot. Yuuko blinked a little as a teacup was placed in front of her with the warning, "It is hot." How had they made the tea so quickly? ' _Ninja…_ ' she thought in a long suffering manner.

Yuuko blew softly across the steaming cup and took a small sip. The taste was mostly the earth texture she had come to expect of teas here but this one possessed something softly floral too. It was very good tea.

"It is not often we get visitors, it is even rarer to get Hagoromo visitors." Jun noted in a flat tone that didn't seem particularly bothered. Still Yuuko tried to remember that Jun had the baring of a Chunin or a Jounin so she couldn't rely on what she's picking up on as truth. And she had just run on in to another clan's compound without any go-ahead. Her hands gripped the warm tea cup and she felt her shoulders rise a little but she tried to keep focusing where she guessed Jun's eyes to be under the hood. "I'm sorry I entered without any permiss'wion but there was no one at the gates and I didn't want, um... _her_ to die." She muttered eyes sliding back to Nao for a moment. Jun said nothing to that, teacup disappearing into the shadows of their collar- taking small even sips of tea, so Yuuko added "Thank you again. For helping."

Jun's chest rose and fell visibly for the first time in what might have been a sigh. Placing their almost empty cup of tea back on the table they gazed out at the Hagoromo. "Why did you not go to the Inuzuka?"They probed, but the question did not really seem tempered, only vaguely curious.

Yuuko swung her feet a little as she pondered how to answer. The truth was mostly that Ayaha had not given the greatest impression of the Inuzuka clan. Yuuko was a fan of dogs but when their adventures during Ayaha's 'full learning philosophy' around Konoha had finally led them to the Inuzuka compound, Ayaha had described them as a people that lived on a very 'survival of the fittest' type mentality. Animal lovers they may be but she had not known whether the Inuzuka would care for a creature so small. The Aburame had been the far more obvious choice for her; far closer (as the Inuzuka compound was on the entire opposite side of Konoha), and with a reputation for close relations with bugs.

"I just…I know the Aburame care for those others do not." She settled on. There that sounded thoughtful and gracious, right?

Jun reached out a hand and refilled everyone's cups. Watching, Yuuko discovered that the Aburame's clothing wasn't quite as bland as it first seemed. Around the cuffs and, she could see now that she was looking for it, around the collar too- were tiny beads stitched in a pattern that looked almost Greek inspired.

"It is difficult to care for such things when one is a shinobi." Jun remarked with a sip of more tea.

Yuuko shifted uneasily at that. That hit a little too close to home. She took a nervous sip of tea and said nothing.

Finally put their second cup of tea down, Jun stood. Their feet made no sound when they hit the floor and their clothes made not a rustle. "Come, Hagoromo-chan. I will accompany you back to the park." Nao's head tore itself away from Yuuko and whipped to look at Jun's. Jun made no comment other than to say, "Nao, please remain here."

Placing her cup softly back on the table, Yuuko slid of the chair to the floor. She looked back at the lizard but before she could ask, Jun intoned blandly that she would have Nao release it tomorrow deep in Jowangshin park where 'she' would be safe from kunai.

Offering an awkward wave goodbye to Nao and stepping out the front door, she realized none of them had taken their shoes off when entering the house. Did that mean the removal of shoes at the door was an anomaly of the Hagoromo or were the Aburame the ones with the uncommon custom of keeping on shoes?

Jun closed the door behind themselves and took the slight lead, navigating the way through the maze like streets back to the entrance. The streets were still empty Yuuko noted. Calm, even steps eventually had them back at the gates but they were emerging on the entire opposite direction then Yuuko remembered taking off in. How had that happened? Had she somehow looped around during her frantic run?

Crossing the threshold back into greater Konoha, Jun finally broke the silence, "Are you going to be a shinobi, Hagoromo-chan?" Yuuko looked up but even standing right beside them, she could not make out Jun's face- seeing only their nose and the glint of a pair of glasses under their hood. "I think so," She said a little hopelessly, unsure of how much she should be saying. Things fell silent again as the two made their way towards the park.

After some good tea and a chance to calm down, Yuuko was a little disturbed by herself. She had always been the sensitive sort- a bit of a cry baby she would freely admit. But that level of panic had been a bit...extreme. Eyes on the passing road beneath her feet she frowned a little in concern.

Getting closer to the park, she raised her gaze towards the sky.

It was darker now- not quite sunset bet definitely late afternoon. How long had Hayato been gone? How long had she been working on that mandala? How long had she been gone from the park? A small ball of worry started up in her chest again.

When they finally arrived at the park, Yuuko saw with relief that there were still a number of children playing.

Jun stopped at the edge of the grass and looked down at the little Hagoromo. Seeming to consider her for a moment, they finally crouched down to eye level. "Go to the library, Hagoromo-chan. And when you do- go and search for Bandojudo." They told her in a voice to strangely hollow and sure. Puzzled but feeling that this request held some significance, Yuuko's head tilted in confusion. "Why are you-?" But Jun cut her off in that calm tone, "Because the Aburame know that there are other paths shinobi might take. We will meet again I think, Hagoromo-chan." And with that they stood and offered a small nod of farewell before fading into nothing. She shook her head a little- that hurt her brain to watch. ' _Definitely, probably a Jounin_ ', Yuuko thought.

"Where in Fire country have you been?! Was that an Aburame?!" Yuuko spun around at the sharp voice. Ah. Hayato certainly did not look pleased.

* * *

Hayato is an angry cupcake. Wonder what Bandojudo is...anyone have any guesses? The Aburame are fun. And Jun and Nao are both going to play important rolls in the future so I hope they turned out alright. Thank you again to everyone who leaves a review. Warms me like hot chocolate.

P.S. I did some editing of chapter one.

P.P.S. All you all are the best.


	5. Chapter 5

"There is no fear for one whose mind is not filled with desire"- Dhammapada, verse 39.

That night saw the first real argument between Hayato and Yuuko.

The sullen anger had given way to a steep tongue lashing that night. And while Yuuko calmly sat and took the frustrated lecture (she knew she had put her brother in a precarious situation had anything bad actually happened to her), she refused to apologize. Well no, she apologized for worrying him- but not for leaving the park. Growing increasingly frustrated with her, Hayato had sent her to bed early- with no bedtime story. She'd been forced to wait until she could sneak out of bed to read on to herself (and make up the words when she met characters she couldn't read)

He had also apparently proceeded to tattle on her with their parents too. Or at least, that's what she assumed he had done because although her parents never spoke to her directly about it- Ayaha's lessons suddenly jumped ships from the history of kunai to listening to superiors and "motive reading" (which were essentially classes trying to make her suspicious of every person she passed on the street)

Thankfully the lessons where apparently enough to pacify Hayato's anger and he let it go quietly after a few days.

The other consequence of her unintended 'outing' was completely unexpected. Tsubasa, having decided that his daughter had proved herself capable of surviving a few hours of unsupervised time, had given her permission to go out into Konoha on her own- in so long as she told someone where she was going and that she be home well before dark.

As unsettling as it was for a three year old to be given that type of free rein, Yuuko wasted no time taking advantage of the freedom.

And so two weeks or so after the 'incident' at Jowangshin Park, she awoke on a bright Sunday with the intent to go explore on her own. Dressed and ready for the day she trudged downstairs still slightly sleep and was surprised to see her mother in the kitchen. She was sitting at the table with a cup of steaming tea looking tired but beautiful; her long dark hair loose with slight curls. Hagromo's tended to have 'feathery' brown hair, but Takeko had been gifted with thick dark tresses that set her apart from her fellow clansmen. "Yuuko-chan, Good morning. Come sit, I made you breakfast." Rubbing her still sleepy eyes, Yuuko sat at the table while her mother brought over some rice broth and fresh cut fruits. Yuuko murmured her appreciation as Takeko rejoined her daughter at the table and snagged a piece of watermelon to pop into her mouth. "Where's Hayato?" Yuuko asked curiously in between sips of warm broth. "Ah. Your brother left very early this morning on another mission but he should be back by late this afternoon." Running a hand through her long hair with a sigh she continued more to herself, "We do need to invite his team over for dinner soon. We have just all been so busy." "I've meet Fumasa before." Yuuko remembered, slightly more awake with food in her. Her mother red lips smiled wearily, "Well you've meet more of them then I have then. But that's a thought for another time I suppose, what are your plans for today?"

As her mother grabbed dishes to wash, Yuuko explained her plans for the day. Fortunately, Takeko seemed alright with her intentions. "Be careful and be home before five. Both you father and brother should be home by then and I'm making a big dinner for everyone." Yuuko gave her a hug and took off out the door.

She wandered the compound for a while, just enjoying the crisp air and the winding streets. She smiled and waved at several other early-bird Hagoromo that she passed. Down what must be the oldest section of the compound she found a decorated iron-smithing shop called the "Blood Sky Forge". This was a place she had visited very briefly with Ayaha and then only the outside. It was where the ceremonial shoulder guards were made. Yuuko entered the shop behind an older grumpy looking Hagoromo man and stood off to the side to observe unhindered as the man spoke with the shop keep. Along one wall hung weapons of all sorts; custom kunai, giant shuriken, katanas, daggers, spears, halberds, and others she had no names for. In a glass case were rows of Tetsubasa. The ceremonial pieces were beautifully done- her favorite one was white matte silver inlayed with gold. Beyond the counter she could see a great fire kiln and watched an apprentice and master pounded away at a glowing heated blade. She stayed for a while observing the blacksmiths at work before the heat became too much and she slipped back out.

Looping back around towards the newer sections of the compound she passed a fruit stand and several smaller shops selling clothing marked with the clan symbol. One of the street vendors was selling roasted nuts and she wished she had thought to ask for some pocket money. Although that might be pushing her luck- she was still only three.

The chuunin guards posted at the gate watch her pass with bored expressions. Yuuko gave a friendly wave anyway, figuring it must be a tiresome job to stand there for hours on end and watching people come and go.

Off on the streets of inner Konoha, she headed off to her real destination.

Several minuets later she finally turned down the street Ayaha had shown her a few months back. Her heartbeat picked up in excitement when her eye caught the sign of a building further down. Hurrying along as fast as her little feet could take her, she clambered ungracefully up the steps to the library. She had been anxious to come here since the very minuet Ayaha had shown her the outside of the building.

The library's main building was circular and only about three floors high although Yuuko discovered that there were possibly floors down below. It was quiet inside; rows and rows of scrolls and books lining tall shelves. Yuuko glanced this way and that; unsure of where she wanted to start.

How old was this world, what languages did it have, what religions? How did governments here work? What technologies existed and why we're they so rare in use? So many questions.

The very first thing she picked up was a scroll outlining the Will of Fire. Ayaha often referenced it in her lessons but she was never very clear on what exactly it was. Sitting on a padded chair, Yuuko slowly worked her way through an old dust book that ended up being not much more help. The older history books were written in a flower type language that were extremely hard not only to decipher but then extract meaning from. As far as she could tell, the concept of the 'Will of Fire' translated to something of a philosophy emphasizing self-sacrifice and devotion to the village- that was simple enough. But it was sort of a physical thing too; embodied by the Hokage, the Daimyō, and the passing of generations.

 _(_ _And so the honorable Hashirama did give forth a great tree of strength and the Uchiha did set is aflame in fear. But the tree did not burn but burn and its radiance did light the world. Those with clansmen wise came from afar to behold its valor. And in their awe the Uchiha did bend and frometh their humility, the Lord Hashirma's might forged a peace. The great trees roots did grow deep and welcomed those weak and pitiful and humbled. From on high the Daimyō did cometh and bless the tree with fire anew and the Divine Daimyō and Wise Hashirama bathed in the flame. From the ashes of this flame the two did emerge and telleth the peoples that the fire had been shadowed within. A flame that would mercifully spread to those who served true and it would burn away sins and defy-ers_ _and the world would tremble to behold its light. Great and blessed are those chosen who inherit it, for it is the Will of Fire_ _.)_

Putting the book aside, giving up not even half way through, she wasn't sure what she thought about it. While some parts of the philosophy seemed appealing, the focus on 'the village' seemed rather…narcissistic? Too much like isolationism with a superiority complex thrown in for her comfort.

After that she went on a hunt in the philosophy section- searching for anything familiar. The religions of this world were scarce- tending to focus on afterlife theories and nature spirits. For example, Jowangshin Park was named after a fire deity worshiped by the Uchiha. But no matter how many scrolls she opened she found nothing referencing any idea of pacifism or reincarnation or anything remotely like Buddhism. There were a lot of philosophies that were variants on 'peace through strength' which she found to be disheartening. The very notion of 'civil disobedience' didn't seem to exist- or if it did, it was not recorded here.

Moving on, she went up to the second floor and found a scroll entitled 'The Origin of Word' and settled down on a bench to read again. It was a scroll on etymology and as she worked her way through it she came to the startling realization that her understanding of the word 'shinobi' was very flawed. Yuuko had taken the word to be a direct correspondence to the Japanese word, but while they sounded the same, the connotation and history between the words was far looser then she would have thought. They weren't even written the same!

The Japanese word came from the word 'to conceal'. The primary language they spoke in the elemental nations, Putonggo, rooted the word as originating from 'victory'. Further reading revealed that 'shinobi' arose as an alternate fighting force to Samurai (whose histories were incidentally very similar to their history in japan). Yuuko likened the two forces to the old British empires army and colonial America's militia.

Samurai, following a strict honor code, mostly stuck to fighting in ranks. They lined up and did battles in great fields when they weren't being hired to protect nobility. They were expensive to hire- working in groups only as small as ten and they refused to teach their practices to women.

'Shinobi' on the other hand, were the inventors of guerilla warfare. Doing away with many, but not all, of the Samurai's honor codes- they hid in bushes and ambushed opponents. These looser moral codes also meant they could be hired to do more sordid type deeds like assassinations. Shinobi lowered the cost of hire by working in small groups, training Kunoichi, and forming clans. More people, smaller groups, and cheaper fees worked out to more missions and great success.

Speaking of clans, in another large book she learned that there were actually two different types.

The first and better known type, were clans that had originally comprised of 4 or 5 families that adopted a single persona. In the beginnings of clans shinobi had had two last names; their family name and their clan moniker name. Her aunt for example was probably named after a historical figure she had found named Katsumi Kata Hagoromo. When outsiders married into the clan the whole outsider family was integrated- taking on the clan name. The Uchiha, Senju, Hyūga, Hagoromo, Akimichi, Aburame- all of these clans were founded that way. Over time the old family names were dropped to just the clan names and marrying outsiders became less favorable.

The second type of clan was a lineage clan. These clans comprised of one family only and from the very beginning they tended to intermarry. When they did marry outside the family, only their spouses took on the clan name. These clans tended to be far smaller and in today's time most did not have compounds. The Hatake, Lee, Shimura, and Sarutobi were all examples of this type of clan.

Overtime the distinction and customs between the two types had eroded into a blur and the distinction was very rarely made now.

This history also provided at least a little insight into the odd and distinct clothing choices that varied so greatly between clans. Acting as individual armies, clothing styles had been their uniforms- A powerful clans outfit was as recognized as the red coats of Britain.

When Konoha was first founded they had needed to catered to the clans desires to maintain their identities. Therefore all clan 'outfits' were suitable for Konoha shinobi to wear on official missions and as a catch-all (mainly for civilian recruits) they had designed Konoha standard uniforms. Today the practice had expanded and many shinobi from smaller clans or from civilian backgrounds chose eye-catching outfits as a symbol of their importance.

After a few hours had passed, Yuuko's curiosity won out and she went searching for 'Bandojudo'. It took her quite some time to find because she hadn't known where to start looking. After wondering around for a while proved fruitless she meandered back to the first floor to ask a librarian for help.

The long desk by the stairs was manned by two people; one a civilian woman with very short dark green hair and the other a man with hitai-ate around his arm and his face down on the counter. As she bounced up to the desk the woman gave her a friendly smile "Hello sweetheart. Are you looking for something?" Clenching her toes and rocking back of the balls of her feet, Yuuko smiled back "I was trying to find somet'in called Bandojudo." The woman mouthed the word back, fingers tapping in though. "I don't know if I've ever heard of such a thing…Bandojudo" "Bandojudo? That's a rather strange type of taijutsu for a Hagoromo to be interested in." The male ninja who had looked to be asleep when Yuuko had walked up interrupted with a drawl, head still on the desk he had turned his face to look at her through half lidded eyes. Unsure of how to respond to that Yuuko shrugged a little and clasped her hands behind her back. Between them the green hair woman considered the man beside her with a small but devious smile, "Ah It's a type of taijutsu then. Since you're taking an interest for once, you can show her to the taijutsu section, Nara-san" The man shot her a deadpan look as the woman purposefully made a show of getting comfortable in her chair. With a groan he slouched up to a standing position and indicated Yuuko should follow. With a quick thanks to the woman, who was grinning quite contently, she hurried after him- not that he was making much progress at the slow pace he set.

They moved up the stairs at a terrifically slow pace, up the spiral stairs to the top.

Up on the third floor he weaved his way to a back corner and turned, leaned against a bookshelf to look at her. "This is the taijutsu section. Of course, this is the civilian library so it's a bit limited." Yuuko cast her eyes around the small section and looked back at the man with lost smiling expression. He sighed dramatically and pointed a finger towards one of the lower selves. "If I hazard to guess I'd say you could probably find something on Bandojudo there. Maybe. It's not exactly a popular style." With a shrug farewell the ninja slouched his way back over towards the stairs.

Yuuko did indeed find a chapter on Bandojudo in a thin book entitled 'Taijutsu of the Few'. It was really more of a biased and opinionated research paper then a book; outlining the basics of little known taijutsu styles and the flaws that led to their declines. About half way through the book there was a chapter on Bandojudo.

(" _From a small prosaic clan in far south Fire country comes the style on Bandojudo. It is a weak unarmed style, heavily focused on withdraw and defense; lending itself poorly to the life of shinobi. The most glaring flaw is Badojudo's tentativity. The practitioners I observed left initiative to their opponents and when they did engage, they concentrated on locking joins or breaking hands and feet. Lacking skills in more armed combat to back their taijutsu's fragilities it is unsurprising the clan was eliminated when faced with a clan willing to strike with true intent._ ")

Yuuko closed the book in deep thought. Jun was frighteningly intuitive to have suggested such a thing to her after such a sort meeting. She blinked slowly in contemplation, placing the book back on the shelf. Smoothing out imaginary wrinkles from her dress, she made her way out of the section. Coming down the spiral stairs she glimpsed the drop down and tightened her hand on the railing that was so tall to her she had her arm raised over her head. Back on the main floor she waved a good bye to the librarians at the desk as she passed (the man really seemed to have fallen asleep this time, as the green haired woman was drawing on his hand in black marker.)

It was true that if she had to fight, nonlethal force would be what she would want to use. Soft martial arts. The question was- did she really _have_ to fight at all?

She wasn't planning on really becoming a ninja. All she had to do was make it to the graduation test and fail. She wouldn't mind learning about chakra or more about how this world worked so most classes should be fine to sit through. There was bound to be a sparring class but…did she need to participate? She was unsure of how the grades in academy were weighted. What grade did she need not to get kicked out early and anger her family? Was sparing class necessary to achieve that grade? Could she earn points in the class in other ways then directly though the spars?

That night, at dinner her family is together for the first time in quite a while. Her father teased her brother about some apparent crush Hayato had. Her brother went red in the face, flustered and annoyed. Pouting the boy bit into his leg of chicken. Her mother watched them both with fond eyes. Takeko had made a separate dish of vegetable rice for her daughter- having long ago picking up on her odd refusal to eat meats.

What would they do, she wondered, if she stood before them and simply refused to fight?

* * *

Here's another chapter. Lots of world building here- sorry if that's a little boring but I should warn that this is going to be a bit of a slow burn plot wise. Because I actually managed to plot everything out and I now know where this is all going. Also, more editing on previous chapters.

Tid-bit one: Putonggo is a mix of Japanese and Chinese words that essentially mean 'common language'. I do that a lot in this fic. (mix words and cultures and have names with significant meanings behind them).

Tid-bit two: Bandojudo is modeled after Bando. A _thaing (form of martial arts)_ from Myanmar (aka Burma). And contrary to the beliefs of the author of 'Taijutsu of the Few', I think it's pretty awesome. _  
_

Thanks again to everyone who has commented and favorited and followed this story. I'm a little daunted by the length of this plot I have laid out but ya'll keep me going. Cookies and hugs for every one of you.


	6. Chapter 6

"The root of suffering is attachment"- Padhi dukkhassa malanti

On a late afternoon, Yuuko sat with Ayaha and finished off another day of lessons. As a 'Passing of the Fire' ceremony was due to occur in only a few months (meaning a new Hokage was being inaugurated into office) she had chosen to focus this lesson on the politics behind Hokage selection- "A Hokage must be physically strong, yes. But perhaps equally important is the candidates clan heritage and their political clout. They must be a person that exemplifies the Will of Fire and can rally the people to support them. Now, behind the scenes a lot also depends upon the Konoha Council…"

Apparently the new Hokage was to be the Fourth Hokage, although that didn't really mean much for Yuuko's reference. Ayaha's history lessons and her trip to the library had reminded her of the name of the first Hokage (Hashirama) but she had always been bad with names and faces and she couldn't remember who the Fourth Hokage had been. Which one had been Hokage when Naruto started? They had been an old man right? Or wait…no she remembered a female Hokage at some point. Ah but that had been later hadn't it? Yuuko pushed the thoughts from her mind- they served no purpose now.

Upstairs she could hear the sounds of her father cleaning- normally the rest of her family moved about the house absolutely silently but Tsubasa tended to be a little clumsy in his cleaning (which was why her mother delighted in making him do house chores.) Currently however, her mother was off shopping for groceries. Takeko had finally managed to coerce her son into bringing home his team for dinner and her mother was determined to impress.

Both of her parents had been home more often recently.

Indeed, things appeared to be calming down on the front-lines- skirmishes farther and farther apart. It had been a hard war but Iwa was pulling back and it didn't look like it would be long before a treaty would be under negotiation. At the lessons end, Ayaha relayed that news to her with only the slightest hint of resentment in her voice and posture. "Your parents and brother will be able to be home more often now, Yuuko-chan. It will not be long before this war is over. I imagine there will be concession talks with Iwa soon." She had said, voice cool and calm. But, sitting across from her, Yuuko caught the way her teachers face tightened ever so slightly and how her nostrils flared reflexively in disgust.

A lifetime ago, Yuuko remembered reading about micro-expressions- the involuntary twitches of the face that computers and trained experts could use to spot liars. In one documentary she had watched, a scientist discussed the results of analyzing the faces of arguing couples; reading micro-expressions they had been able to predict with incredible precision which couples would be divorced within a year. Two significant facts from that program had stuck with Yuuko in a deeply profound way. The first was that normal people can only really spot lies with about 50 percent accuracy. People just aren't as good at it as they think they are. Perhaps that would be different in this world she had come to, with people like Jounin and Sannin running around but she was willing to bet it was still true for most of the population. Ayaha for example had only made chunin before her career had been cut short.

The second thing that had engraved itself into her memory was which emotion the scientists had claimed was the most dangerous. It wasn't jealousy or fear. It wasn't even anger. Anger, the scientists had said, could be worked through. People could come back from anger. Disgust. Disgust was a far more dangerous feeling. Once a person had reached disgust, they stopped view the other person or side with any sort of humanity. Disgust was total shut down.

Ayaha had lost a lot to the war. She had suffered the heart wrenching loss of her teammates and had survived only to have to endure the loss of her future career as a shinobi. Cut off from most of her chakra, she had to sit to the side and watch her once fellow classmates push past and leave her behind. Her anger was certainly 'justified' (although Yuuko doesn't believe anyone ever really comes out the better for war. Nations may win wars, but people never did. She did not let her relation to Ayaha blind her to the fact that certainly many Iwa ninja must have suffered horribly too.) But every time she saw a nose flare like that, she couldn't help but remember that documentary and think about disgust.

Pulling out of her thoughts, Yuuko held her opinions to herself and thanked Ayaha for the lesson with a small bow.

Her father stepped into the kitchen then, footsteps no doubt purposely sounding on the wooden floor. "Lessons finished up for the day?" he asked smiling. In that moment Yuuko could see Hayato shine through her father's normal weary face. His smile made him look years younger.

Ayaha rose from the table with a respectful nod. "Yes. Our lesson is done for the day, Tsubasa-san"

Pleasantries were exchanged as Tsubasa walked Ayaha to the door. Then he turned to her, face still startlingly cheerful. "Want to go on a walk, Yuuko-chan? I think we have another hour or so before your mother will want us back here."

She felt her chest warm in pleasant surprise. Yuuko and her father very rarely had had any time to spend together. A smile stretched across her face as she hopped down from her chair in excitement. "Sure!"

Closing the door behind them they took up a steady pace towards the main gates together. His large hand still engulfed her own by comparison, his rough hand very gently grasping her tiny one. Tsubasa greeted and was greeted by several people was they meandered along- Yuuko stuck to his side with a slightly shy but friendly smile on her face.

Yuuko didn't know where they were headed but her father seemed to have some destination in mind as they left the compound. She skipped a bit, tugging a little on her father's arm playfully. The man chuckled, seemingly content to be a plaything for his daughter.

They passed the market streets, vendors calling their usual wares, passed the main road toward the opposite side of Konoha. Watching several civilians pass with arms laden with bags of cleaning supplies, Yuuko eyed her father. He caught her stare and looked back with a raise eyebrow. Squinting her eyes at him in suspicion she wondered, "You didn't just do this to get out of cleaning the house did you?" Tsubasa gave her an ambiguous look that she couldn't interpret at all. He held it for so long she started to worry she had actually somehow offended him before an absolutely scheming smirk morphed his face. "Ah! You did!" she accused in disbelief.

Her father chuckled again, smirk falling to a bit of a suffering smile, "Oh, Come on now, Yuuko-chan! You poor father has been doing house work all morning!"

Yuuko just shook her head, but it took great effort to hide a smile of her own. Instead she forced a look of disappointment, "Mothers going to be mad at you!" "I don't think she will be." He retorted calmly. Shooting him another suspicious look, she held on to his arm and turned to walk backwards to get a better look at his face. "Why?" "Because she will be too busy being mad about the broken vase to worry about the dusting." "You broke a vase?!" He grinned at her again. "Who can say? Perhaps it was _you_ that broke it." With a puffed up scowl that was too cute to be anything but playful, Yuuko shoved him in the side.

They ended up at Kioku Park, another place Yuuko had visited but not really explored. It was a park very different form Jowangshin. Jowangshin was mostly a field, plenty of wide grass for children to run and play. It was always busy and full of people. Kioku was larger but consisted mainly of walking paths between lush trees and foliage. It was a quiet place, being relatively close to the cemetery, and was mainly meant as a peaceful retreat for those looking for some time alone. Close to its entrance stood the fabled memorial stone.

The two Hagoromo bowed before it in a sober but tranquil moment- its black obsidian gleaming in the sun. It was huge, bigger then Yuuko thought she remembered it being from _before_ , with flowers of varying freshness and candles clustered at its base.

They walked for quite some time- following a winding path deep inside in park.

On a wide hill her father flopped down, stretching in an exaggerated manner and looking up at her. Yuuko laughed and dropped onto his stomach. "Ugh. When did you get so big?" He bemoaned. Rolling off him she lay beside his in the soft grass. Somewhere near by birds were chirping.

Snuggling up beside her father, he brushed a hand over her head. This was the closest she had been to her new father since the first few months of her new life. Her family loved her but they tended not to be as touchy-feely as she was naturally inclined to be.

"I know things have been hard for you" Yuuko peeled her eyes open in the bright sun to squint towards his face. Arm still wrapped around her (She was still so small!) Her father continued is a thoughtful tone, "We have not been around and there are no other children your age in the compound. We've kept you inside, separated from others for a long time. I think... you must have been lonely... But I want you to know- your mother and I are both very proud." Yuuko rested her head back on his chest and said nothing. She could hear his heartbeat, strong and steady thumping.

"If we lived in another time, another place, I would tell you to follow those ambitions of your with an undying passion. But you are a smart child Yuuko, and I'm sure you have noticed how…precarious our situation is. It's a bit of a scary time. So I am going to have to ask you to keep being strong."

A myriad of thoughts swirled through her head even as she kept her body limp.

'I'm sorry, father' she couldn't help but think, 'Not even for you will I be drawn from The Path. I don't think I can be what you want me to be.'

Toes clenched, she buried her face to hide the heat she felt creeping up her cheeks. Forcing a light tone she said, "You just want me to tell mother I was the one who broke the vase, don't you?" His whole body heaved her gently in his laughter. She hadn't thought it was that funny but she'd take what she could get.

Wrapping his other arm around, he lifted her from his side to his chest and rolled her to the opposite side of him. Then he sat up and ruffled her hair. "Speaking of your mother, we had best be getting home. Mother may have gone a bit over board with her dinner plans tonight."

Once back home they were both indeed put to work by Takeko; peeling, chopping, and stirring a multitude of dishes. Two different types of steamed rice, a variety of onigiri, miso soup, grilled salmon, grilled chicken and spring onion yakitori, tonkatsu, and grilled vegetables and agedashi dofu for Yuuko.

Twenty five minutes before Hayato and his team were due to arrive; Yuuko was pushed off to prepare for dinner. Takeko had insisted she wear one of her nicer Chang'pao; a deep purple long sleeved one that was made of fine cotton interlaced with silk flowers. Her mother had even stepped out of the kitchen to braid the two long pieces of hair that framed her face (there was really nothing that would be done to tame the wild birds nest that was the back of her head).

By the time she made it back downstairs their guests were about due and her mother had somehow managed to both put all the dishes on the table and change outfits. She had dawned a more kimono like chang'pao; green with an actual gray and black obi tied in a complicated bow. Her long tresses braided down her back and beautiful gold earrings dangled that perfectly matched her Tetsubasa.

"Mother, Father!"

It seemed Hayato had finally returned from his mission- and had fulfilled his promise to bring his teammates home.

Tsubasa kissed his wife and went to go greet Hayato at the door. Yuuko place the last of the chopsticks at the place-mats while her mother ran over everything one last time. With one final nod she seemed at last satisfied. "Shall we go greet our guests then?"

Following her mother to the main foyer she caught sight of her brother. Stuck between two very straight faced persons he wore a smile of resignation. Catching sight of her too, his smile turned more genuine.

Kotaro Fumasa appeared just as she remembered meeting him in that brief time- cool and a bit stand off-ish with copper hair. He was still dressed in an all gray and black variant of Konoha's standard uniform.

The girl on Hayato's other side, bowing to Yuuko's father and mother, had to be Chouko Uchiha.

From what she could see, Chouko was classic Uchiha. Pale, slim, and relatively tall, (compared to the slightly more stocky build of most Hagoromo) she had smooth pitch black hair. The Uchiha wore standard white Uchiha shorts, paired with a traditional front closing shirt. Overtop of it was a large black haori embroidered with the Uchiha fan.

"Thank you for having us, Hagoromo-san, Hagoromo-san" She bowed with a crisp voice. Clan poise emulated from her every move.

Tsubasa offered a large smile to both of his son's teammates. "Welcome, please come in. And 'Tsuabasa' is fine, Chouko-chan." Ignoring her husband, Takeko welcomed her son home and exchanged introductions with Kotaro.

Yuuko slid over to give her brother a hug. "Welcome back, Nii-san. Are you okay?" He rolled his eyes and crouched down to whisper to her, "Save me Yuuko-chan! These two fight worse than cats and dogs." "What happened?" "Just mission stuff. But I guess they've never really gotten along well."

"Hayato?" The siblings pulled away to see everyone had started to move towards the kitchen. "We're coming! I was just telling Yuuko-chan how pretty she looks!"

' _What a suck_ _up_ ' she thought fondly, following after him.

Dinner was a strange affair and as the night progressed Yuuko could see what Hayato meant about his teammates not getting along. Chouko was propriety personified. She was smooth and elegant but her social graces came off as flat. She also seemed to be a little bossy and an overachiever. Kotaro was no slouch but as another 'natural leader' with a no-nonsense attitude the two tended to butt heads rather than work cohesively. Poor Hayato was stuck playing mediator most of the night.

( "Yes Tsubasa-san, our Sensei has allowed me to pull lead on several of our missions. I am pleased to say they have all been exceedingly successful." Kotaro raised an eyebrow, " 'Success' is hardly what I would call that mess in Waves." "The mission parameters were fulfilled, were they not?" "That hardly-" "Come on now you guys, everything turned out all right in the end now didn't it! Chouko did a good job leading us and Kotaro's skills were invaluable getting us out.")

Conversation topics were carefully steered; nothing mission classified, nothing too politically heavy.

At some point the topic of the Uchiha Clan Heads came up. ("Mikoto-sama is certain the child will be a girl." "She must be due very soon now." Takeko commented, refilling her plate. "Indeed.") But they tried to move along from there quickly.

They talked at extensive length about their team training. At one point Chouko turned her black eyes on Yuuko (who had been doing her best to stay out of the whole thing and eat in peace). "Yuuko-san, have you thought about which weapon you will specialize in?" the girl asked. All eyes on her, she clenched her toes. She could think of nothing to say but "No." in a voice that was just an edge too blunt. Hayato just laughed, "She's a little young, Chouko! Besides, I'll teach her my war-hammers when she's ready!" Yuuko stuffed more vegetables in her mouth. "She's a bit skinny for those, isn't she?" "Don't doubt the close-combat skills of a Hagoromo, Kotaro!"

Once dinner was finally finished, and the post-meal hot tea consumed, the family lead their guests back to the door. "Thank you for the meal." Kotaro bowed and then looked at Hayato, "Don't forget about training tomorrow. We start early." Hayato rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh "How come it seems every week we are somehow starting early?" But Kotaro ignored him and took off.

Chouko did not bid Kotaro farewell, instead she stepped closer to Yuuko's parents. Bowing deeply she reached into her haori and withdrew an envelope. Takeko accepted it as the girl stood straight again. "Mikoto-sama and Fugaku-sama would like to extend their welcome and cordially invite you to the baby shower honoring the Uchiha's coming second heir." Receiving their acknowledgments, she bowed once again to her parents and then very shortly to Hayato, before she too vanished.

* * *

And here is the next chapter. I swear this is going somewhere. I promise. It's just taking a while to get there. Also this chapter is a little longer to make up for the update I skipped last weekend (things got busy) and I may actually be able to update again tomorrow or Monday. We'll see.

Let me know what you all think. This was a hard chapter for me.

Thank you again to everyone who comments and favorites. It makes my day. Love you all.


	7. Chapter 7

"Give, even if you only have a little"-Dhammapada, Verse 224

It was very difficult for Yuuko to grasp time in this new life. Konoha's standard year was divided into ten months, each month being 30 days, making a year consisting of 300 days. Summer dominated most of the year with shorter fall, spring, and winter seasons. It was confusing to try and orient herself with the calendar of her past life so she simply didn't bother.

Needless to say, winter in Konoha basically meant that the heat was no longer unbearable and that it was more likely to be overcast and rainy. Snow was a rarity seen maybe once every few years or so.

Three and a half year old Yuuko was awoken in the early hours one winter morning by her mother's gentle shake. It was still dark outside but thankfully not raining. Bleary eyed she dressed herself and stumbled into the hall, passing Hayato on his way down stairs, into the bathroom to brush her teeth and run a comb through her head. Even as a typical morning person this hour was pushing it.

'Passing of the Fire' ceremony was traditionally held by dawns break, so many workers had been working since the day before all through the night to prepare for the occasion. Setting up stalls and booths, prepping for food and customers, putting up banners, laying out the best of their wares.

Today was the day the Fourth Hokage would be officially inaugurated into office.

He had been 'Acting Hokage' for some months now- wearing the robes but not the hat- literally and metaphorically. He had attended meetings, made executive decisions (with conference and support from the Third), and his face had just been completed on the mountain side.

The hat was apparently a big part of the ceremony. The Fourth would give a speech and then the hat would be lowered on to his head, symbolizing 'the fire being shadowed within'. Hokage. Fire Shadow.

After a quiet breakfast the family dressed in their best and joined the trickle of other families on their way towards the tower. At the towers base the citizens of Konoha gathered together and watched as their new Hokage steeped into the light of the rising sun. From her position, way below, tucked down beside her parents and brother- Yuuko could see and hear very little. The man on the balcony hardly visible when she was so short and the sun glared out behind him.

The speech must have been moving though, all around her people gazed with rapt attention. She caught parts when their new Hokage's voices rose to a swell- "- the might of the everlasting Will of Fire!" "-Victory!-" "- peace that will last generations!" There were screams of approval all around, ringing out in one long thunderclap. Yuuko remained silent, fingers over her ears and eyes watching the faces of those who towered around her.

The ceremony ended as the Third removed his hat and enshrouded his successor in it to absolutely ear-splitting cheers. " Now hear- the fire eternal is born again in shadow! Here stands the fourth bearer of the shadowed flame, our Fourth Hokage!"

As the applause died down, slowly the crowds begin to split apart, families and peoples venturing into booths and festivities set up for the day of celebration. Yuuko's parents spoke with Hayato as the crowds pushed around them. Hayato claimed her hand in his to keep her close. She pushed closer to his side.

Banners waved in the wind, people shouted and laughed, the smell of cooking began to fill the air. In the distance, a flute started to play.

It was decided that the children would split from the parents for the day- so they would be free to enjoy games and little shops set up and their parents would be free to attend a clan meeting that was being held. They would meet back up in the evening for the firework-Jutsu display.

As their parents parted ways back toward the compound, Hayato readjusted the grip of their hands and they began to lead their way through the throngs of people. They passed a group of Uchiha men getting ready to set out with their mikoshi- a portable shrine to one of the Uchiha's older gods.

Down a slightly less busy street Hayato stopped. "Do you want to go join the Sun Dancing?" he asked. Slightly overwhelmed by the masses, Yuuko shook her head. She cast her eyes around and saw a booth that was less crowded and pointed in that direction. "Ring toss?" she asked and her brother grinned.

As it turned out, bringing a ninja (even just a genin) to a skill game was basically the equivalent of rigging the system. Yuuko came away with a great big stuffed dog _and_ a kabuki mask.

They spent the day together- Hayato and Yuuko; eating sweets and playing games. They did stop by the dancing although Yuuko was happy to just watch rather than join in. Rows and rows of people in circles danced together to welcome 'the new fire'.

They found a little booth filled with several other young children. Three little Hyuga kids and one Yamanaka were huddled around a shallow pool filled with goldfish. Hayato got her one of the flat paper nets and stood beside her as she approached the pool. Her first net broke. Hayato laughed and she puffed her cheeks in embarrassment. It was harder then it looked. "Don't worry Yuuko-chan, I'll get you another one." He said still laughing.

Yuuko stood there awkwardly as he went to pay for another net. Fidgeting a little she watched the fish for a few moments. They swam in strange patterns- scales glimmering in the water. She liked the rippled they made when they swam close to the surface.

When she looked back up her eyes meet those of an adult Hyuga. He was standing behind the other Hyuga children with an intense face, not at all perturbed at having been caught staring.

Her toes clenched and she grabbed the edges of her sleeves with her hands. Those pale eyes, so exceptionally bizarre to look at, seemed to be seriously considering her. _What is taking Hayato so long?_ One of the Hyuga girls held up a bag filled with fish. He broke eye contact with her and turned his attention to the other little child.

Yuuko didn't catch any fish- much to Hayato's great amusement.

Afterwards they headed out to find a snack. Taiyaki were pastries fried in the shape of a fish- in Japan they were typically filled with red bean paste or custards. Here in Konoha they were filled with lotus paste and drizzled with honey, making them a dense but tasty treat. Many stalls were selling them but the siblings finally found an Akimichi vendor with a line that wasn't quite as long as the others.

Yuuko was thankful for the chance to sit, feet sore from walking and arms tired from carrying her stuffed dog prize (Hayato has snagged the kabuki mask for himself, which suited Yuuko just fine)

At one of the long tables they found a couple of seats and munched slowly on their treat.

They had been sitting not too long when a familiar pair take the seats opposite them.

Jun and Nao.

"Hello Hagoromo-chan. We meet again." Jun greeted in their typical cool manner.

The Aburame took their seats with taiyaki of their own. Hayato watched the two as he took a bite out of his fish treats head but said nothing to protest.

Nao was munching steadily on their treat and although it was hard to tell with their hoods and glasses, appeared to be staring at Yuuko.

Yuuko glanced between the Aburame and her brother. "Hello Jun-san" she replied, hastily licking her lips. Then after a moment she added, "Hello Nao-san" even though Nao had not greeted her.

"This is my brother, Hayato. Nii-san, this is Jun-san and Nao-san, they helped me save a salamazard." "Female Hitokage salamazard" Nao corrected quickly and bluntly. "Right." Yuuko agreed, scrunching her toes in her boots.

Her brother smiled reservedly "Ah! Well, I owe you a thank you for returning my sister back to the park safely." It seemed he still wasn't completely over that incident. Jun crossed their arms on the table, hands hidden in the long sleeves of their coat. "It was no trouble, older Hagoromo-kun." Hayato ignored the strange suffix entirely.

Polite conversation survived the duration of their snack break. Standing up and taking their trash Hayato moved towards a trash can. Yuuko stood, picking up the stuffed dog again and meeting Nao's hyper focused staring. It had to be staring, didn't it? The glasses made them very hard to read but Nao had not turned their head away from Yuuko once since joining them.

In a moment of decision Yuuko walked to the other side of the table and held out the stuffed toy to Nao. "Here."

Jun leaned back in their seat. Nao put down their taiyaki on a paper plate. Yuuko's arms remained out stretched, the cheap but soft brown fur warm in her hands. Hesitantly Nao reached out too. Once the transfer was begun Nao snatched it from her grasp and held it close, as though Yuuko was going to take it back.

As the sun began to wane the two siblings made their way to the gates of the Hagormo compound.

Takeko and Tsubasa were waiting for them by the time they arrived. "Did you two have a good time?" "Yeah, it was a lot of fun." "Did you play any games Yuuko-chan?" …

The family made their way to Jowangshin Park. It was jammed pack with families, Uchiha and Hagormo alike for once. Finding a clearing, a blanket was laid out and the family settled in. Along the borders of the park- several shinobi stood. Huge drums echoed out and the shinobi ran through impressive kata's at blinding speeds. As the sky darkened complex fire jutsus were displayed- fire twisting and undulating through the air in streams over their heads. Occasionally powders were added in to the jutsu, changing the colors of the fire. Emerald and purple flames crackled. Claps of appreciation resonated through the park.

Then came the fireworks. Sitting in her father's lap, Yuuko snuggled close.

An hour or two later, Yuuko was finishing up brushing her teeth when her father appeared at the door. Spiting tooth paste and whipping her mouth she turned to see him learning against the door with a drained look upon his face. "Yuuko-chan, the Clan Head would like to speak with you." Yuuko hopped of her step stool and stepped away from the sink in surprise. _The Shizutori_ - _sama_ _wants to speak with me?_

Yuuko had heard the name of the Hagormo's relatively new Clan Head but had never seen or meet them in person.

She looked down at her pajamas wondering if she should go change. A few steps down the hall her father looked back at her "Quickly now, Yuuko-chan. It is not polite to leave an important guest waiting."

'So it would be alright to leave a 'non-important' guest waiting?' she thought in bewilderment, running hands through her hair in an attempt to tame it. _Wait, the Clan Head is already here?_

It was very last in the evening to be meeting anyone, let alone someone of such importance.

Tsubasa followed her downstairs and to the kitchen where their guest sat at the table, back to the door. Yuuko took the opportunity to study their appearance as her father stepped up to the table with a bow. Long flowing locks, thick and dark like her new mothers, ran down her back. She wore a green and gold kimono, cut in that odd open way that was more popular in Konoha. At her hip was a long but thin sword with a scabbard so designed Yuuko thought it was probably more ceremonial then functional. Shizutori's tetsubasa was the largest she had yet seen; Bright matte gold with large spikes and engraved with striking silver kanji, it covering the shoulder blade and shoulder and ran down almost to the elbow. The sheet plates made no sound as the arm bent to raise a glass of sake. Back still to them, her father bowed low. "Shizutori-sama, I present my daughter Yuuko Hagoromo."

It was only when their Clan Head stood and turned that Yuuko realized that despite the slender figure, feminine features ( _was that red lipstick?_ ), and long hair, Shizutori was male. That was odd though- Ayaha had made her memorize many of the old Hagoromo Clan leaders and not one of them had been male.

The thin painted lips raised in a slender smile.

* * *

This chapter is a little short. I'm sorry. It was fighting me every step of the way. Things will really start to pick up pace soon- I promise.

Thank you again to every person who reviewed! I really appreciate every single one. (and a big thank you to Anon, who I couldn't reply to. Your review was super sweet.)

Let me know what you think of this chapter- lots of background stuff going on here.


	8. Chapter 8

"Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal." - Dhammapada

The man returned back to the chair with eerie grace, movements fluid and refined. Leaning sideways in the chair to look at the two of them, he took another sip from one of her father's sake cups. His beauty was almost uncomfortable in that way she had always though Tolkien's elves would have been. Sitting in a chair he appeared to float on, his luminescent eyes bright even in the dim room.

Yuuko's eyes, and the eyes of most of her immediate family, were an amber golden brown but Shizutori's were almost red in quality.

"Thank you, Tsubasa. I will not keep her for too long, it is late I know." Their Clan Head professed. His voice was odd in that it was so unassuming. No rasp, neither high nor low pitch.

With one of his slender pale hands he gestured to the seat across from him. Her father gave another short bow and pushed gently on Yuuko's back. Confronted with the man in his expensive kimono she thought it might have been worth making him wait a moment for her to change out of her pajamas.

As she made her way around the table to the chair her father left the room without a pulled herself up onto the chair, feet swinging and catching the bar that tied the legs together. She didn't know how to feel about the whole odd situation.

Their Clan Head studied her from across the table, small smile firmly in place.

Were his lips really painted or were they just naturally red tinted?

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Yuuko." He told her. His nails were filed into sharp points, she noticed, staring at his soft hands rather then at his striking eyes. "I've heard so much about you."

What do you say to that? She wondered. He didn't sound particularly threatening but the statement made her uneasy anyway.

She opened her mouth, falling back on propriety for a response, but before she could mutter some response he laughed. Like his voice, Shizutori's laugh was the most unassuming of things- no reverberating chuckle or undignified giggling. But he did seem genuinely amused.

She wished she had something, a cup of tea, if only to curl her hands around in her disquiet.

Shizutori flicked a lock of hair back in a move so cliché it should have looked silly and yet somehow came across as unequivocally elegant.

"You still have such a startled look on your face. Have I shocked you so much? Or have my looks spellbound you?" He laughed again at her expression. "It is no strange thing I suppose. I am the first man to ever rule the Hagoromo."

And how had that happened? Yuuko wondered, not because she thought him incapable but because Ayaha had explained in great detail the matriarchal tendencies of their clan.

Shizutori didn't offer any explanations but smoothly pushed the conversation forward, "I have heard a great deal about you though." Another sip of sake, "Well, of course I've been getting updates from cute little Ayaha-chan. I am…proud of your progress." Her stomach twisted. "Thank you, Shizutori-sama" she muttered hesitantly. Was it normal for the Clan Leader to being getting reports on children's academics? Was she special because there were so few Hagoromo children?

His ceramic cup lowered to the table without the typical clink sound and though he didn't lean forward something in his posture changed. His red studied her face intently.

He stood suddenly, kimono rippling like silent waves. Moving about their kitchen like he had lived in it every day of his life, he set about making tea for several empty moments.

When the cups were finally poured he resumed his seat.

Not thirsty, Yuuko still gratefully wrapped her hands around the warm cup. Shizutori did not touch his own steaming tea.

"You and I, Yuuko, I believe we hold something in common." Yuuko took a tiny sip of her hot tea. It wasn't very good. "We both hold special places in the future of our clan." She looked up at her cup to her Clan Heads deep eyes. She didn't particularly like the sound of that.

She was too sleepy for all these games- what did he want with her?

He still hadn't touched his tea. Why had he bothered making it then? Should she not have taken a sip?

"Tell me, do you know how many seats the Hagoromo clan has on the Clan Council?" She didn't. "One" he told her without any inflection. Yuuko didn't understand what that had to do with her. "Oh." She replied diplomatically. Shizutori's eyes sharpened slightly.

"Your father has been trying to convince me that a continued alliance with the Uchiha is in our best interest. There are, however, a great many people who disagree. And their logic is not so fanciful. Tell me, what do you think?"

What did Uchiha have to do with the Clan Council seats? Why was he asking a three and a half year old?

Yuuko thinks this is a riddle she is too sleepy to solve. He clearly wasn't going to actually follow the advice of a child so this was a test and her answer didn't matter all that much. But she didn't want to needlessly antagonize anyone either. "I think I am too young to understand."

Shizutori's smile widened. "A _smart_ answer and a smart _answer_." He seemed inordinately pleased.

Yuuko took a deeper drink of her tea, resolutely resisting the urge to rub sleep from her eyes.

Takeko appeared noiselessly at the door behind Shizutori's shoulder. Without turning around the Clan Head leaned back in their seat, almost casual for the first time.

"Yes Takeko-chan, I'll dismiss your little one for bed now." "Thank you, Shizutori-sama." Eyes half lidded, Yuuko slid off the chair. She toddled around the table and made for the door.

"Yuuko."

So close. She paused and turned back to look at Shizutori, who still had not turned.

From this distance she realized in sleepy confusion, how very young Shizutori was, undoubtedly just older than Ayaha. How had he become Clan Leader? It couldn't have been very long ago…

"It was wonderful to finally meet you. I hope you will continue to represent us well. With all the clans you interact with."

Was he talking about the Aburame?

Her mother put a gentle hand on her shoulder, pushing softly in the direction of the stairs. Obediently, Yuuko crossed the courtyard and began to climb, as her mother stepped into the kitchen and closed the normally ever-open sliding kitchen doors.

Although she was exhausted, it took a long time for her to fall asleep.

* * *

A week and a half later, standing in the looming shadows of the Uchiha clan gates, those last parting words reverberate in her mind.

Female Clan Head of the Uchiha, Mikoto Uchiha, had given birth to the Uchiha's second heir. Her family had come to represent the Hagoromo at the baby shower. Which Yuuko found to be very odd- why just her family? and Yuuko hadn't been to many baby showers _before_ but she thought she remembered something about it being customary to bring gifts. Which they hadn't. A cultural difference perhaps? It was interesting too that Shizutori himself wasn't accompanying them. One would think this would be the type of thing he would want to make an appearance at.

Yuuko held tight to her father's hand. Hayato had been called off for training so it was only her and her parents present.

The Uchiha compound was enormous.

The houses here were probably double the size of any at the Hagoromo and although it wasn't narrow and alley-like like the Aburame compound had been, it certainly felt just as intimidating. The streets were packed and she had never realized just how empty the streets of the Hagoromo compound were until she had this to compare it to.

It was midday but the sun was rather gloomy.

The house they arrived at looked the same as all the surrounding houses; wooden, large, with an assortment of small stone deities in the garden and on the steps. It was the same except of course that this house was bursting with Uchiha coming in and out as they pay their respects.

Waiting by the entrance, enormous muscled arms bulging, was Isamu Uchiha.

"Tsubasa!" He greeted, his deep voice just as strong as Yuuko remembered. Guiltily, she didn't like to think of him much- his presence always reminded her of that awful birthday night.

Her father released her hand and went to clap forearms with his old friend.

"Isamu! It's been too long. How are things at the police station?"

In her fathers absence Yuuko shuffled closer to her mother's side. "Come, those two will talk for ages." Takeko said with a vaguely displeased expression, leading her way inside the open house.

They wondered through the rooms, giving only the briefest of greetings to others they passed.

In what had to be the formal meeting room they found those who had to be the Heads of the Uchiha clan.

Yuuko's first though is that the people of this world are all too beautiful- first, Shizutori and now these people.

The man was broad and small eyed with a gruff looking face. The woman was paler then her slightly tan husband, with a pointed chin and thin eyebrows. In the woman's arms rested a tiny bundle and by her side was a stoic faced young boy. They were all beautiful in that cold way Uchiha always seemed to be, and sitting seiza on a slightly raised platform they looked almost like dolls.

Although the room was quite full it was eerily quiet- noise softer then should have been possible.

Coming before them her mother offered a respectful bow that Yuuko quickly followed. When she rose up she found her father abruptly beside them and fought the jump that ran through her.

"Fugaku-sama, Mikoto-sama" Her father said, nodding to the man and woman, "We come baring the congratulations of the Hagoromo clan. The Hagoromo wish the brightest and warmest blessings upon the second Uchiha heir and your family."

The three Uchiha, the young boy included, nodded their gratitude with a formality that was stifling. "The Uchiha accept your blessings and offer formal thanks." The man, Fugaku, returned with a gruff voice. Mikoto stood and stepped down from the platform, breaking some barrier between the families.

"This is Sasuke." She said softly, showing the swaddled baby to Yuuko's parents.

Sasuke. Sasuke Uchiha. This she supposed confirmed with iron certainty where in the timeline she fell. Yuuko had suspected but had been trying not to think too hard about it. It shouldn't matter. It didn't matter. She pushed the thoughts from her mind.

"Named after the Thirds father?" "Yes. He will grow to be a fine Shinobi." Why were things so uncomfortable here? Things felt…weird.

"And this is your daughter we have heard so much about?" Mikoto asked with a kind smile. Tsubasa put a hand on her head. "Yes. This is our Yuuko." "I've heard you are quite the fast learner." Mikoto told her, bending slightly to her height. "I like to learn." Yuuko agreed, realizing as her eyes scanned about, that the room had emptied significantly since they had entered. "Perhaps you and Itachi can play together some time? He is quite fond of learning things too!" She smiled, as though the desire to learn new things was a very odd trait for a child to have. The other boy, who could only have been a year or so older than her, was watching them all with a serious expression.

Yuuko scrunched her toes in her black boots. Those black eyes were deep and discomforting. Itachi. This was Itachi Uchiha.

She should not judge others based upon an outline of a possible future that she should not even remember. She knew this. But this was a boy who grew to murder thousands of people. He has done nothing, Yuuko reminded herself, nothing yet but watch them with a frightening focus.

Yuuko turned her eyes away from him, unnerved by her own ill ease.

Baby Sasuke was taken off to his crib and the two families moved into another room. Here they sat together around a low table of dark wood. All the furniture was dark wood- certainly expensive and beautifully detailed with what hand to be hand carved embellishments. The house smelt faintly of incense.

Small snacks and tea (of course) were served.

Her parents and the Uchiha Heads spoke for some time; how much did Sasuke weight? How was he at night? How was Mikoto feeling? The conversations were tentative. Neither side moved the conversation to speak about the Hagoromo. That was until-

"I've heard your daughter has received an official request to meet with the Aburame." Fugaku's tone was the same gruff manner it had been since they had arrived but suddenly the whole room felt even more uncomfortable.

She had received a request to meet with the Aburame? When?

Mikoto put a hand on her husband's arm.

Her father offered a careful nod. "Yes. Yuuko has made a friend that would like to play with her." Mikoto kept her arm on Fugaku's bicep, "How wonderful! I have been trying to encourage Itachi to make some more friends."

Itachi made no indication he had heard such words come from his mother, his blank expression still observing every move the Hagoromo's made. His eyes were unnaturally large.

If Fugaku's deepening frown was any indication, he was not thrilled by the proposal but Tsubasa certainly was. "I am sure something can be arranged." He said cheerfully, hand on her head again.

"After lessons, of course. Ayaha will be starting her on some chakra exercises soon." Her mother tempers, and Yuuko thought she saw her glance at Itachi.

Fugaku's brows furrowed and Mikoto blinked in honest surprise. "So soon?" The woman asked.

Yuuko was surprised to hear it too. Ayaha hadn't given her any indication they would be moving on to such things any time soon. Itachi stared at her. Her father's hand slipped from her head. "She is a very quick study" Tsubasa chuckled sheepishly. Takeko took a sip of tea.

Yuuko wasn't entirely sure of everything going on here but she is quite sure she doesn't like it.

By the time they left in the evening it had started to rain. The drizzle pattered down in slow but even time, its drops refracting the light of the setting sun. It smelled of petrichor. As her parents bid farewells on the front steps, Yuuko was nudged towards Itachi. His unnerving eyes bore into her and she clenched her toes.

She fell back on what propriety she knew. "Farewell, Uchiha-san." His hair was a shade or two lighter black then his parents, landing just towards the tops of his shoulders. He inclined his head softly and she is almost reminded of Nao for some reason.

The month ended on an even worse note than it had begun because a few days after the uncomfortable meeting with the Uchiha (and the unwelcome possibility of a 'play date' on the horizon), Shizutori meets again with her parents and then she and Hayato are informed that Aunt Katsumi has been killed.

* * *

So here is the next chapter. Things are sort of picking up, yes? I hope you all enjoyed it.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter- it really does inspire me to write. So let me know what you all think of this too, your theories are a lot of fun to read!

Happy 4th of July, if you celebrate that too. Hugs to you all!

P.S. According to cannon, Sasuke really was named after the Thirds father.


	9. Chapter 9

"A mantra is like meeting the Buddha or Bodhisattva himself." ~ Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

She and Hyato pause at the kitchen door. Shitzutori stood before their mother. There was unease here, a heavy feeling that closed down around them all.

Shitzutori held out a scroll. Normally, or at least the scrolls that Yuuko had seen, scrolls had writing on the outside either stating the contents or, in the case of confidential information, code. This scroll was pure white.

"Tsuba-" "No. Katsumi. The caravan was attacked."

Takeko gave their leader a look of pure heart wrenching sadness like she had been utterly betrayed. Shitzutori held the gaze with somber but steady eyes.

That look on her mother was achingly familiar. And Yuuko suddenly had no doubt what that pure white scroll meant.

Her Aunt was dead.

For Buddhists life is a precious thing, fleeting and short it should be cherished and lived as well as one can. Death is inevitable and its hour is always uncertain.

Her mother's hand was steady as it grasped the gleaming wrapped paper and she shed no tears but her grief was laid bare for all those there to see.

Death is no different than birth, this Yuuko realized, but it did not entirely ease the pain now. Though she strove to overcome, to be contemplative and mindful of death as the Buddha taught, she herself was no Buddha. Long ago, she had walked through cemeteries of green grass and gray stone and reflected on how quickly things could end. And not so very long ago, she had felt the crushing pain, the slow bleed, and nearly drowned in the fear and sorrow as it had come for her.

But if death is indistinguishable from birth, birth should be just as sorrowful and death just as joyful as the other. _Saṃsāra_.

Her Aunt was already gone, reborn into a new life. How beautiful. How sad.

Yuuko had not had the opportunity to learn the much of Aunt Katsumi's suffering but she felt her loss keenly. The woman had been hard but certainly not cruel. Though she had often chastised Yuuko for 'being in her way' and 'interrupting her peace', she had dressed the little girl every morning she had stayed at her house and fed her warm meals. She had often worn a frown but sometimes she would hum old folk tunes as she washed dishes.

Her mother had no tears but Yuuko finds she has plenty. They run quietly down her cheeks and she blinked rapidly to push them away.

She reached up for her brother's hand without thinking to find it clenched in a fist. Hayato did not look sad but angry.

"And where were her _escorts_?" He demanded stepping forward.

Takeko ignored them both, sitting heavily and staring at the scroll in her hands. Shitzutori turned slowly to look at him.

"They were otherwise occupied." He replied. Hayato looked thoroughly unimpressed, "But they suffered no serious injuries, right?" "No." Shizutori agreed with a perfectly neutral face. Her brother scowled.

"Go to your rooms."

Attention turned back to Takeko who was looking back at Shizutori now. Hayato hesitated, and then nodded his assent. So the two Hagoromo children headed up the stairs.

Brushing a hand over her head, Hayato closed the door to his room with a snap.

* * *

At the funeral the family dressed in white. It is the color of mourning in Konoha. Shadows are a shinobi's life blood- they live and breathe the obscurities and the dark. In grief they pull themselves from those glooms and stand in the light, not for themselves, but for the fallen.

The Hagormo cemetery is a subsection of the larger Konoha cemetery and a Hagoromo funeral consists of three parts. In the family cemetery ashes are buried inside the tombstone that was erected in Katsumi's name. It was considered too dangerous to bury ninja without cremation- too easy for secrets to be stolen from corpses.

(The only exception to this was Hokage, whose bodies where coffined and entombed for religious reasons. Something about the Will of Fire and the Hokage and somehow it was almost sacrilegious to burn Hokage's bodies because of the 'fire shadowed within'. These tombs were supposedly heavily guarded by top shinobi around the clock. )

The second part of Konoha funerals involved a procession from the cemetery to the Memorial Stone. There Aunt Katsumi, an active shinobi at the time of her death, had her name carved into the black obsidian.

The funeral procession was quite full- although very few non-Hagoromos were in attendance. Almost no words are spoken either, just a short speech highlighting Katsumi Hagoromo's dedication to the village and her skill upon the battlefield.

Tsubasa stands beside his wife in silent support. Takeko said nothing for the funeral, eyes dark and tired. Shizutori did not attend but Mikoto Uchiha made a brief appearance after Katsumi's name had been carved. Alone this time, the woman offered her condolences for which Tsubasa thanked her.

The third and last part of the funeral was for Hagoromo clan members only. Back inside the compound, Katsumi's tetsubasa is hung in the Rememberence Hall. The Hall was the largest building in the compound and held all the tetsubasa of those who had passed (or at last, all the tetsubasa of those whose tetsubasa could be retrieved). Rows and rows wrapped around columns- all of them lined with old tetsubasa.

Gazing at the name emblazoned on the old steel tetsubasa, Yuuko heard music in her mind. It was the music of another life but for once she embraced rather than pulled away. Her hands slip into the dhyana mudra- thumbs touching, fingers of one hand cupped in the other, and she thinks of Avalokiteśvara. She thinks of Guānyīn. She thinks of the bodhisattva of compassion with a thousand hands that stretched out to aid all those who suffer.

In her mind the sutra reverberated- stirring and powerful it overflowed with kindheartedness and empathy. The bells chimed and the resonating voices of those chanted together called out-

ཨོཾ་མ་ཎི་པདྨེ་ཧཱུྃ

 _Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ_

The tetsubasa loom over her, a history of grief long and bloody, and Yuuko whispered to herself, "Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ, Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ."

* * *

In the immediate wake of Aunt Katsumi's death it was as if the world had slowed to a stop. Then suddenly, the war is declared to be officially over and the world seemed to spring back into fast-forward.

Lessons with Ayaha do indeed begin focusing on Chakra. She is given a leaf and told to stick it to her forehead- to hold it there with Chakra. This Yuuko discovers is both difficult and easy to do.

When she quiets her mind, like she does when she meditates before bed, she can feel the power. It doesn't tingle or buzz and it's not warm like she had once seen it guessed to be. It is just a feeling, no different really then the feeling of gravity when you fall.

Grasping it requires no force, just steady and subtle manipulation, and holding the leaf for the first minute or two is no problem. But the longer she holds the Chakra in one place, the longer she holds it in her control, the harder it was to do. She practiced for weeks and saw only minimal progress and when she finally had no choice but to ask Ayaha for help.

"Hagoromo's naturally have quite a difficult time with Chakra control."

Sitting across from her on the stone floor by the courtyard well, her teacher deftly picked up a leaf, stuck it to her forehead, and explained, "I've told you briefly about some of our family techniques." Here Yuuko nodded, she remembered her lessons on how Hagormo were experts at disrupting genjutsu.

"Part of that comes from pure technique, jutsus you will study in a few years' time. But another facet of our skill comes from our unique Chakra too. Most shinobi, when actively using their chakra, release one fine continues amount. Hagoromo chakra is different in that our chakra waves often 'vibrates'. The vibrations often grow stronger as we age and train and at a certain point, chakra in and immediately around us naturally distorts too- as if we are constantly using Kai release." The leaf on Ayaha's forehead fluttered to the ground and she frowned, picking it up and turning it over in her hands. "Because of this most chunin or jounin shinobi from out clan are impervious to most genjutsus but unfortunately this also means that our clan members tend to have fairly bad chakra control."

Yuuko sighed. The wind blew her leaf away. Ayaha laughed.

* * *

And apparently that invitation by the Aburame wasn't just something made up for the sake of politics.

"Shizutori will be taking you over to the Aburame compound this afternoon." Hayato told her. They were both sitting at the table; Hayato finishing up a mission report and Yuuko practicing her 'calligraphy'- which had deteriorated into her scribbling bits of remembered Sanskrit in boredom.

Her brother was looking a bit happier today, which pleased her immensely. He had taken the loss of their Aunt very hard and on top of that, his team seemed to be fracturing as the chunin exams grew closer. The team had failed the last exams and they were all feeling the pressure to pass this time.

Putting down his brush (Hagormo always wrote with traditional hair brushes) he stretches his arms over his head and stood up.

"You have some ink on your face." He chuckled at her.

Really looking at her fingers, Yuuko pouted when she discovered the black that caked her fingers. She must have touched her face with her inky hands.

Dipping a finger into her ink well, Hayato tapped her on the nose.

"Boop"

Yuuko scrunched her nose. "Hayato!" she cried in annoyance.

Her brother laughed harder, "You look like a henged Nara deer."

Dipping already black fingers into the ink, she flicked her fingers in his direction. Spots of black splattered on his cheek.

"Oiy! Don't get that on my report!" "Then don't put ink on my face!"

They scowled at one another for a minute. Unable to hold it, Hayato chuckled again. Yuuko's high voice was still to funny to take seriously.

Yuuko sighed and went to go scrub black from her fingers and face.

Trudging back down in a new change of clothes and rubbed a little raw from scrubbing ink, she finds Shizutori seated across from Hayato in the kitchen. They both looked up when she entered.

The Clan Head rose from his seat. He was adorned that day in a silver white kimono with blood red cherry blossoms run down the sleeves. The long hair, white and red kimono, and high slender build made Yuuko think of a character from a different series she had read long ago.

"Ah, there is my adoring fan. Your sister is quite enthralled by me" Shizutori vaunted, the fingers of his left hand running over the jewel encrusted hilt of his blade.

"As you say, Shizutori-sama" Hayato replied, somehow just managing not to sound exasperated.

Yuuko nervously bid farewell to her brother and headed out beside Shizutori.

Why was he the one escorting her again?

The man hadn't bothered to turn up at the Uchiha's official ceremony but he was willing to take time to walk her to a play date?

Unlike most of the other adults Yuuko walked beside, the man did not reach for her hand. They walked beside each other, the young girl trotting a little faster than normal to keep up with Shizutori's long strides.

Outside the gates of their compound the two received strange looks, well, Yuuko supposed it was mainly Shizutori the looks were directed at. He was the subject of a lot of blatant staring; looks of lust, looks of envy, looks of confusion. He paid them all no mind, perfectly content in the female cut kimono and higher shoes. Most shinobi seemed less inclined to stare; turning only to keep the awareness of their surroundings rather than any real interest.

"You know, Yuuko? I find the Aburame to be… delightful company" Shizutori mused.

Yuuko looked up at him, pulling her eyes from those that passed them by. This man still made her uneasy. "I like them too."

The man shot her a grin. Yuuko was convinced he had to be wearing some kind of coloring on his lips to get them that red.

The two passed the park, down the dirt road Yuuko had ran in tears, and arrived at the huge gates to the Adurame compound. This time however, it was far from the barren sight it had been when Yuuko had stumbled to it.

Out front was Jun and Nao, standing side by side. They both appeared just the same as any of the other times Yuuko had encountered them previously. Behind them were several other Aburame, their coats slightly more expensive looking with bigger, more obvious, bead work. The two Hagoromo slowed their approach and draw to a stopped.

The Aburame offer polite bows that both Yuuko and the Head of the Hagoromo smoothly returned.

"Shitzutori-sama we are pleased to see you. It is fortuitous that circumstances have allowed for the…cultivation of this bond between our clan to be possible," Spoke one of the unknown Aburame.

Shizutori offered a sharp smile. "The Hagoromo were most happy to receive your invitation. We too are pleased to see such inter-clan friendships have the chance to grow."

Nao stepped forward. And then kept walking until they was uncomfortably close to Yuuko's face. Yuuko scrunched her toes in her boots. It was disconcerting to be this close to someone and still be unable to see their eyes. Stiffly and awkwardly, Nao stuck out a hand, almost hitting her in the face. Confused, Yuuko reached up to shake it, despite the odd angle.

But Nao didn't shake her hand but grasp hold. Holding her hand unnaturally high, the slightly taller Aburame child began to pull Yuuko back towards Jun and their fellow clan members. Turning her head back, Shizutori only waved an elegant hand farewell. To the other Aburame he bowed again, saying only, "May we speak again soon. Her brother will fetch Yuuko this evening."

Jun bowed his head at Nao's approach. "It is good to see you again, Hagoromo-chan."

Nao, who had still not released Yuuko's hand, began pulling towards an alley, completely ignoring all the other Aburame. "Hello" She greeted in return, arm fairly uncomfortable now.

"Nao, Release Hagoromo-chan. You have all day to spend together- there is no reason to pull."

Nao dropped Yuuko's hand but continued to match towards the depths of the compound, entirely certain they would be followed. Jun and Yuuko fell into step behind the determined Aburame child.

"Forgive Nao. They are a bit over excited." Jun said, bland voice laced with fondness.

Yuuko sighed. What was she supposed to do at a play date anyway? She had no idea how to 'play' like a child. Perhaps though…perhaps they would have cards.

* * *

So here is the new chapter. Sorry it took so long (and that it's kind of choppy- lots of important scenes though). I had to do a lot of research because I want to portray this in a right and respectful manner- any Buddhists reading, please let me know if I got anything horrendously wrong.

Another big THANK YOU to all the people who reviewed the last chapter. You guys make me smile like an idiot. I love reading your thoughts, opinions, critiques, and theories.

Also if you are interested I have a Tumblr now (even if I'm still learning the 'rules' of it). I sometimes post sketches I've done there and I reblog a lot of stupid stuff so you are free to check it out- nothing-suspicious-at-all


	10. Chapter 10

"In whom there is no sympathy for living beings; know him as an outcast"- Sutta Nipata

The house was much the same as Yuuko remembered it being; an open floor layout that was almost eerily familiar, the staircase off to the side, the long table with high bar stools. This time however there were candles lit and an earthy smell filled the air. She felt an ache in her chest.

Jun stepped in behind her and closed the door with the softest of clicks. Nao, who was already seated at the table, turned completely to stare at the door, watching them both. The sleeves of their long jacket poised on their knees.

Out of habit born in the years of her time here, Yuuko almost removed her shoes before remembering that the Aburame did not follow that particular practice.

"If you are so eager, you should not design to ignore it." Confused Yuuko twisted her head to watch Jun pass before realizing the comment was for Nao.

Immediately Nao jumped down from the stool and headed toward the staircase.

Turning her head away, Yuuko followed Jun over to the table and climbed up on the stool she had claimed during her last visit.

She could feel the weight of Jun's gaze as she settled, feet swinging just slightly.

"Tell me, Hagoromo-chan, did you look for Bandojudo?"

Yuuko could feel her heart pound. She felt a little…bad. Jun seemed to be trying to help, although how Jun had noticed what her own family had not, she did not know.

She just…couldn't.

She wished she had tea- something to do with her hands.

Forcing her head to nod, she spoke into the quiet, "Yes. I found it, I just..." How could she explain to someone like Jun? To anyone from this place?

How could she explain that the idea of ever purposefully harming someone made her nauseous? That she could not imagine a world in which she could force herself to walk the battlefields of blood she knows are to be her future if she followed the path of a shinobi? That she feared constantly for Hayato, both his physical and spiritual state, ever time he walked out the door? That she worried for her parents? That she worried for the enemies they faced too?

 _Saṃsāra_.

 _Duḥkha_

In her head memories long buried sometimes echo- small and standing in a corner she watched two children fight. Anxiety built in her chest. Sometimes she imagined she could physically feel others pain. Other children watch or cheer or leave. A harsh reprimand from an adult whose face is long forgotten, "Listen to me! Hey! Are you listening to me? You do not hit people. Ever. We do not hit people, even if they hit you first. Violence is not how we solve things."

How could she express how the air had begun lately to thicken around her? Her aunt is dead. Her mother no longer braided her hair in the mornings. Hayato is wound and coiled, and he was preparing to enter a test in which people just _died_ every so often. And the whole of the Hagoromo Clan seemed to be a maelstrom of pressure hurtling towards something she could not foresee.

A rift between her and this world flashed in her mind.

Part of her wanted so badly to belong here. She had come to love her family so much…but most of her couldn't see anything but a slowly crescendo to disaster.

She jumped a little when a hand appeared in front of her face. By some means Jun must have moved to the kitchen, retrieved the cookie that was currently in their hands, and returned around the table to Yuuko side without her noticing.

Jun did not reach out to touch her, the people of Konoha were not ones for casual touch, but the cookie offering was clearly an attempt at comfort.

A wave of gratitude ran through her- That she should have stumbled upon someone like Jun. A person who, if unable to empathize, seemed to have sympathy at least. Compassion.

 _Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ_

With cold fingers Yuuko took the cookie. She nibbled on the corner to find it was some type of gingersnap -her stomach settled somewhat. Jun resumed their seat calmly.

Clever ninja.

The flickering of the candles reflected off the dark tint of Jun's glasses.

"I did not mean to upset you, Hagoromo-chan. Put it from your mind."

Yuuko blinked a little to get her eyes back under her control. She had never been a stranger to tears _before_ but she has felt so raw lately that they seemed now to come faster than ever before.

The patter of soft footsteps announced Nao's return.

They stopped just short of the table, arms laden with a multitude of what appeared to be board games of some kind or another.

"We will play these now, starting with this one, and then have lunch." Nao demanded in a manner of absolute certainty, pointing to one box in the collection of games.

Yuuko thought she heard Jun sigh softly.

"Nao, you should ask your guest what they want to do."

Nao's fingers tighten but Yuuko shook her head easily. While not card games, board games were close enough to something comfortable. "No, that's fine. We can play that one, Nao. I wouldn't know what to choose anyway."

Confidence restored, Nao joined them at the table and began setting up the pieces.

Observing the multitude of complex little figures, Yuuko shook her head to clear her thoughts. Focus on the now, she told herself.

"You'll have to explain the rules. I've never played this one." Yuuko said.

Nao lifted their gaze from laying out the pieces and straightened their posture. Jun took over setting up the board as Nao launched into a rapid and complex speech about how the game was played.

Board games with Aburame ninja turn out to require not just a strong understanding of the rules but also on how to successfully cheat. While Nao was the biggest culprit, by the end of the first game Yuuko was certain Jun was cheating too.

They took a break from board games around noon time and while Jun made lunch, Nao pulled Yuuko around the Aburame compound. They visit a small green house first, which was full of strange plants Yuuko had never seen before. Nao gave scientific names for each species and informed Yuuko of their basic uses. Then Nao, hand grasping Yuuko's wrist through the fabric of their sleeve, lead her up to the roof. Determinedly avoiding getting or looking at the edges, Yuuko listened as Nao introduced her, with detailed commentary, to the bee farm.

Yuuko noted that there still were very few people around for a clan as large as the Aburame and although she was deeply curious she also knew that poking into clans too deeply could cause problems. So she didn't ask.

Lunch was a surprisingly pleasant affair. Her own family had grown used to her strange eating habits but mostly that meant that Takeko made separate dishes for Yuuko. At the Uchiha's she had been forced to pick around platters to find vegetables and ended up mostly eating rice. But lunch at the Aburame's was entirely vegetarian friendly.

Whether it was a coincident or not she didn't know but Yuuko was very pleased by the mixed green salad and the assortment of fruit and nuts.

As the day drew to a close, Nao went off to put away the games and Jun took the opportunity to speak with her again.

"Perhaps you do not know, Hagoromo-chan, but your friendliness has meant a great deal to Nao."

Yuuko scrunched her toes at Jun's bland but honest tone. She had not really made that big of an effort to really truly _befriend_ Nao, had she?

She had fallen into almost everything lately by pure luck and letting Nao drag her around wasn't really embracing the child as a friend. As Nao dashed back, Yuuko decided to at least endeavor to try harder.

Perhaps Nao was a little strange, perhaps Yuuko had not really even been looking for a friend, and perhaps Yuuko wasn't sure she even knew how to really make friends anymore, but she would try her best to be a good to Nao regardless.

One successful 'play date' opened a flood and soon Yuuko was a regular visitor to the Aburame compound once or twice a week.

Things were never quite as formal as they had been the first time but occasionally Shizutori would still escort her. Sometimes her mother was the one to take her, but for some reason Tsubasa was never around when she set out.

Her time spent there was interesting.

Yuuko learned more than she ever thought possible about all kinds of arachnids and insects from Nao.

"The females are one third the size of the males with four blue markings along the cephalothorax. They are not native to Fire, so you can only see them here. So you will have to come back to keep looking at them. Now we will play another board game."

"This is the ZheHachi. Its sting can produce two types of venom, apitoxin and poneratoxin. To compensate, the ZheHachi has a smaller thorax and a larger abdomen. Their sting is said to be one of the most painful of all insects."

Jun would sometimes give lessons to make up for the lessons with Ayaha she missed being over at their house. Jun's lessons focused on stretching with a complex type of Yoga and, on what could only be described as, the art of cheating. This was something Yuuko struggled with- it went against the five moral precepts of Buddhism:

Refrain from harming living things, from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from lying or gossip, from taking intoxicating substances.

Cheating had always been a form of lying to her.

And her refusal to cheat meant that she lost spectacularly every time.

At home, tensions continued to simmer. Hayato was rarely home, always out training for his exams, and on the occasion he was home, he was shut in his room sleeping. Her mother no longer brushed her hair in the mornings, rising later and later in the day. An odd tension was building between her parents too.

Late at night she could hear them arguing in low but intense voices. After one such argument, while she lay with her eyes shut wishing to block out the world and just fall asleep, she heard just the faintest whisper of someone opening her door. Then there was a dip in her bed and the large hands of her father ran through her hair. It was painfully quiet in the room but she couldn't even hear him breathing. And then he was gone.

Sometimes Shizutori would show up to speak with her parents; the arguments were always worse on those nights. It's one on of those occasions that she caught someone snapping, "What you want isn't possible! You know how much we need this! You cannot keep coddling her!" and Yuuko couldn't shake the deep knowledge that that had been about her.

Carefully worded comments pushing Yuuko to partake in more training exercises began. Her lessons with Ayaha speed up. She was gifted a set of bright and beautiful kunai that made her skin crawl. The arguments continued.

So Yuuko meditated.

One of the things Yuuko had struggled to grasp _before_ was how Buddhism could intertwine itself with intention. Part of lying was about the intention to deceive, she reasoned. If she was sitting at the table and Jun and Nao were both expecting her to cheat, and were both cheating themselves, was she being deceitful by cheating? Was there intent to harm? How much did that matter?

Yuuko wrestled with herself for days.

Regardless of the pressure she could feel closing in around her; she wanted to make this decision on her own.

Sitting upright on her bedroom floor, calming her mind, blanking everything out, she tried to find what she herself thought.

The idea of hurting anyone intentionally, mentally or physically, felt wrong. To strike against someone, to lash out, felt wrong. Lying to conceal or deceive others felt wrong. She still didn't think she could ever step into a spar and intentionally cause pain- even if that was the expectation of her opponent. However, perhaps in this one setting, she would allow herself to learn from Jun and Nao. Only in that setting would she allow it, that setting when social convention meant that those around her were expecting deceit and when the deceit itself was not done with malicious intent.

The thought felt traitorous, like she was taking her first uneven steps onto the perilous edge of a slippery slope.

Yuuko was determined not to fall.

And so she began learning sleight of hand when she joined Jun and Nao for board games.

A lot of it had to do with how one directed people's attention and having skill with dexterous fingers. But the things Jun showed her went even further, because chakra could be used for even greater advantage. She learned to steal pieces, rearrange a board, how to direct someone's eyes away from her goal.

The first game she wins feels like a loss but the night her family hears of her victory there is no fight after dinner.

If she ever decided to steal something, Yuuko could probably fly under anyone but a chunin or jounin's gaze. Yuuko was reassured to find the thought of ever doing such a thing still disgusted her.

Yuuko's forth birthday inched closer, now only two months away.

On one windy day, trapped inside with Ayaha for a math lesson of all things, a knock came from the front door.

From upstairs Hayato descended to answered it and found Chouko Uchiha on the other side. Stuck in a backbend beside the moon well with Ayaha beside her and a leaf stuck to her forehead , Yuuko tried to hold her concentration. Hayato leaned against the wall and frowned.

"I thought we weren't training again until tomorrow afternoon," Yuuko heard her brother say in a tired tone.

"I am not here for you" She remarked, eyes moving from him to peer into the house, "I am here on official Uchiha business. Is either of your parents' home?"

"Chouko-chan?"

Hayato stood straight as Chouko turned to see Tsubasa striding up toward the front of the house.

The Uchiha moved to the side as the elder approached before dropping into a polite bow. Arms laiden with grocery bags, Tsubasa offered a thin smile. "You were looking for me? If you'd you like to come in, it will just take a moment to put these away."

Yuuko readjusted her hands on the stone floor. Her wrists hurt but the leaf stayed stuck to her forehead. Breathing deep she felt the natural pulse of her chakra.

Chouko shook her head, " Hagoromo-san, I wished only to inform you that the Uchiha would like to extend a formal invitation to your daughter."

Hayato's face twitched but Tsubasa blinked curiously and passed a bag to his son. Hayato accepted it with stiff arms. "An invitation?" Tsubasa asked in a curious but not displeased tone.

"Mikoto-sama was…hoping your daughter and the Uchiha heir would be able to spend tomorrow together."

Tsubasa passed his son another bag and ran a hand through his feathered brown hair. His smile was genuine but his eyes deep. "That sounds…most agreeable. Yuuko has the day off tomorrow anyway. It would be good for her to get out."

Yuuko's left hand slipped and she fell hard to the floor. The leaf blew away.

* * *

 _Duḥkha_ \- (or Dukkha) is a Buddhist concept that is often translated as 'suffering' although the term is more complex than that. It's broken into three main categories and I won't get into it here but it basically includes things like the physical, mental suffering of birth, aging, illness and death as well as not being able to get the things you want in life and things not living up to expectation. Yuuko is reflecting upon the concept and the suffering those around her and those her family would consider enemies.

ZheHachi- is a type of bee I invented for this story. The name is a combination of the Chinese word 'sting' and the Japanese word 'bee'.

Alright. I'm sorry for skipping two updates. Work has been crazy and I got caught up in other fandoms after seeing Star Trek Beyond and then I started Pokemon Go and went adventuring instead of writing and I did warn that I tend to be a reader not a writer. anyway, I apologize for the delay. On the upside, things get real real next chapter.

As a side note, I might start looking for a beta...so if anyone knows anyone who might be interested, let me know!

Also ten chapters in, father then I ever thought I would get, and almost fifty reviews. So thank you all so much! I love so much hearing from all of you!

I'll leave you with some lovely subtly foreshadowing, "Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes"- Bhaddekaratta Sutta


	11. Chapter 11

"Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes"- Bhaddekaratta Sutta-

Part 1

It was under great internal mental protest that Yuuko dressed in one of her finest, most expensive, outfits for her venture to the Uchiha compound. She was finding she was wearing such outfits far more then she had ever thought possible when her mother had first bought them for her. At the rate she was going, Yuuko was going to wear them out far before her casual clothes.

Struggling to force thick buttons through the tight loops, Yuuko's thoughts were dreary.

She was no fool.

She could see exactly what she had somehow become: a figurehead representing the Hagoromo's approval. She was being placed before different clans as some kind of offering, an indication of the clans swaying will.

She was unsure why exactly she had become the pawn in this game. Running a brush through her wild hair, Yuuko supposed it was because she had underestimated just how unique she was within her clan. Her close family had never shown any surprise or discomfort with the speeds at which she 'learned' and so she had never worried much about it.

After her decision to learn what she could from Nao and Jun, in appropriate settings, things had been better at home. Now with one invitation it all had come crashing down again.

When her mother had learned of the accepted invitation to the Uchiha compound she had gone very still. Hayato had spilled the beans at dinner with a grim frown and sharp eyes. Takeko's gaze had drilled into her husband's head but Tsubasa had calmly remained eating. Pushing food around with her chopsticks, Yuuko couldn't help but reminisce for a minuet on how familiar this awkward tension was, the echoes of a different family with different but no less tense problems- there was a brief ache in her chest that she tried to push away.

She forced a deep breath in through her nose and slowly out her mouth.

As if to spite her efforts, her thoughts flickered to Nao. There was no doubt Nao was going to be irritated to learn that Yuuko would be unable to visit today- and probably more incensed too that there was a possibility Yuuko was going to be forced to spend future days with the Uchihas as well. Nao was a pushy child, Yuuko had learned, with a strong desire to keep Yuuko's attention for themselves.

And this was not helping.

She was frustrated, she acknowledged. But what was done was done and she must try and face it with dignity and composure.

It was obvious to her that her family was splintered on what they thought was best for the future of the clan. 'To stay or not to stay' as it were.

Her mother was fairly clearly against a continued alliance with the Uchiha and her brother, for reasons unclear, was siding with her. Tsubasa on the other hand seemed to have been tirelessly working to change her mother's mind. (Presumably his loyalties had something to do with having a close childhood friend with the Uchiha).

All indications pointed that Shizutori was backing her mother's team (or her mother was backing Shizutoris?)

At least that was what Yuuko believed as she headed down stairs to suddenly be faced with her clan head again.

Yuuko frowned at the sight of her father and clan leader sitting together in the kitchen.

Dressed in a draped, dark red and gold kimono like some kind of prince, he sat cross legged. As she trudged toward them Yuuko could see he had even gone so far as to wear kohl eye liner, although he had abandoned the lipstick for the day.

Eyes never leaving her fathers, Yuuko watched Shizutori's smile widen just an inch.

"Yuuko! Come say hello!" He called jovially as though he was the one who lived with her and her father was the visiting stranger.

"Hello Shizutori-sama" She said instead, her father giving her a brief welcoming nod as she came closer, trying to puzzle out his reason for being in their house.

He had already spurned the Uchiha twice now and his escorting to and from the Aburame had made Yuuko confident she knew where he stood on the political lines. But here he was, presumably to escort her to the Uchihas, and she really wished she didn't have to consider all these things.

"Where's mother?" Yuuko enquired as she cast her eyes about the otherwise empty kitchen.

Trained ninja that he was, Tsubasa had no reaction other than to scrunch his eyebrows ever so slightly. But it was not he who answered but Shizutori, who stood with a flourish, "Takeko-chan is out training with your spirited older brother. And I, of course, am here to chaperon you off to the illustrious Uchiha compound. My you are getting popular aren't you, Yuuko-chan?"

Disliking the pleasant grin and dark eyes on his face, Yuuko grimaced.

And without much further ado they were off.

The short trip was quiet on Yuuko's part, heart hammering as her thoughts swirled around what was to come. Shizutori in contrast was so perfectly content that he began humming an old Hagoromo folk tune. They passed through the Uchiha gates untroubled with little more than respectful nods tossed their way by a few guards.

Time is always a strange thing when you are trying to avoid something, so Yuuko was not surprised that the walk seemed to end much faster than the last time she had made this trip.

Shizutori stood behind her as she knocked on the large front door. For one fleeting moment she thought that no one was home and that she would be able to turn right around and go home.

Then the door opened.

"Yuuko-chan! Come in please! Thank you for coming!"

With the posh attitudes of the Uchiha, Yuuko had almost been expecting a servant to answer the door. But no, it was Mikoto who answered the knock, dressed in slightly less formal clothes then the last time she had seen the woman, with a kind expression on her face. As the Uchiha matriarch gestured her inside with a slender hand, Yuuko was disheartened to realize that she immediately distrusted that look.

Stepping forward Yuuko gave the woman credit; she didn't seem at all fazed by being confronted unexpectedly with the head of the Hagoromo clan. Mikoto Uchiha's face remained patient and pleasant even when being unexpectedly accosted with Shizutori.

(This whole thing had to be some kind of slight too, didn't it? Yuuko was sure that clan heads were supposed to give some kind of forewarning pending official visits so as to allow those they visited at least the _opportunity_ to uphold propriety. But then maybe the fact he had bothered to escort her out weighted his rudeness? )

"Shizutori-san" She greeted with a modest bow, "Thank you for escorting Yuuko-chan. My son is excited to have someone to spend the day with."

Hovering awkwardly just inside the house Yuuko couldn't help but doubt that.

Many shinobi avoided direct eye contact with Uchiha members by looking at the bridges of their noses or the gap between their eyebrows, Shizutori did neither. He stared straight into Mikoto's eyes with an off putting smile.

"Ah I have grown quite fond of little Yuuko, Mikoto-chan." He said with a wave of a hand, eyes unnaturally sharp he continued languidly, "I can always spare a moment for her."

Showing no response to the presumptuous suffix, Mikoto effortlessly replied "That is reassuring to hear" with a vague apologetic and solemn veneer of one offering condolences, "Clan leaders such as you and I have so many promises to uphold in these trying times. It is good to know our allies' value family like the Uchiha do."

How had she ended up in this position, Yuuko wondered as she watched the two dangerous shinobi play a terrifying verbal game she didn't entirely understand.

Something in Mikoto's response seemed to have hit a nerve, because Shizutori's eyes did a complex shudder where they seemed to widen and narrow at the same time. He stared at Mikoto just a touch longer and harder then was acceptable before flickering his gaze down to her instead.

"I will see you later this evening, Yuuko-chan" he told her.

Really? He was picking her up too? He had never done that with any of her visits to the Aburame.

"We will take good care of her." Mikoto told the man honestly to which he grinned again.

When he said, "I'm sure" It sounded like a promise.

With that he flicked a hand through his hair and turned gracefully on his heels.

Yuuko watched him go until the door Mikoto was closing vanished him from view.

"This was Yuuko-chan" She said gently. Her smile, perhaps, a tad more genuine as she led the girl towards the kitchen.

However, Mikoto's beautiful smiles did nothing to elevate the oppressive atmosphere of her home. As on her previous visit, the house just didn't look – lived in. There was no dust, no well-worn floors or banisters, no twinkling of wind chime bells. For all Yuuko's own house was big it had never felt big or empty the way this house did.

There, seated straight-backed at the table, was the Uchiha heir. Yuuko swallowed uneasily and wished she could find reassurance in Mikoto's presence.

Mikoto pushed her gently toward the table and stepped off to the side.

As she pulled herself up onto one of the hard seats and caught the young boys eyes again, Yuuko felt a wave of shame pull over her.

She was being unusually dark.

With great effort she tried to clear her head of the negativity. Her unfortunate circumstance and stress were not Itachi Uchiha's fault. His presence would not make her uncomfortable if she had not been born with supposed foreknowledge of something he may or may not become. And it was also not her place to judge him or anyone else for such things.

(Her attempts were marginally successful because only in the back of her mind did she feel like she has stepped into a room with a person who found people to be expendable and _genocide_ to be, if not an easy solution, then at last a viable one.)

Yuuko clenched her toes and picked at her fingers under the table, pushing a stained smile to her face. His pale face watched her banally with slow even blinks of his dark overly large eyes. Things fell into prickly silence until Mikoto returned to the table. Walking along the opposite side of the table from Yuuko, she passed Itachi and ran a hand along his back as she made her way to a seat.

Her other hand carried small ceramic bowls, a few horse hair brushes, and rice paper.

"Have you ever done shuǐmò painting Yuuko-chan? It's one of Itachi's and my favorite things to do." She asked, setting down the bowls and distributing sheets of paper.

Yuuko shook her head, glancing from the eerily still Itachi to his mother. She supposed she should be grateful the woman had had something like this planed and hadn't abandoned the two of them for hours of empty sitting until this whole thing was done.

(Stop that! Be positive!)

"No, Uchiha- -sama, but I have been studying calligraphy." She replied, stumbling only for the briefest moment over what suffix she should add to Mikoto's name.

The woman graced her with a lovely smile as she handed over a thick brush, larger than the usual brushes Yuuko used for writing, and a small bowl of black ink. Itachi picked up a brush as well, eyes bouncing between them as they conversed.

"The basics of the two arts are similar so you shouldn't have too much trouble picking it up. If you like we can all do one together."

Before Yuuko even completes her nod of agreement Itachi spoke for the first time that day-

"A crow"

Confused for a moment as she watched Itachi smooth out his paper and dip his brush in ink, it took her a few seconds to realize that his words were- well not a suggestion, but a decision on what they would all be painting.

The Uchiha matriarch touched her sons shoulder briefly with what was perhaps her truest smile of the day. "Itachi has a bit of a fondness for crows," she laughed gently "What do you think, Yuuko-chan?"

The little Hagoromo watched as Itachi pulled himself towards the edge of his chair, dipped brush hovering, poised over the ink in waiting and realized- Itachi Uchiha was excited to draw calligraphy crows.

She felt herself nod again, "Sure."

A sigh that was half relief and half resignation left her as Mikoto began taking them through the steps of creating the ink watercolor painting.

("Hold you brush like you have an egg in your palm- yes, just like that. Just the same as when you are doing calligraphy." "Slow even stoke, Push down and drag the brush down in a small arc and up. Wonderful job. Now for the feet you want less water-")

Itachi grew impatient following steps he already knew about half way through his mother's instructions and plowed ahead, his brush flying across the page in a graceful and controlled manner. Yuuko ignored this and focused on the instructions she had- taking everything slow and systematic until she had completed her very first shuǐmò crow.

It was a bit of a lopsided thing, ink a little dryer then it should have been in some places, but over she would call it a success.

Even upside down and cross the table, Itachi's painting was striking. A flock of crows filled a grant gnarled tree- an empty forest done in in the faintest ink behind it. His name ran down the side in a show of beautiful calligraphy skill.

"Excuse me a moment you two." Mikoto sighed, pulling back her chair without a whisper of wood on floor and disappearing back in the direction of the front entrance.

The silence in her absence was awkward- at least it was for Yuuko. Itachi sat as still as ever, eyes turned in the direction his mother had gone.

"Where is you little brother?" Yuuko asked in a soft voice and immediately regretted it when the boys head snapped to her.

He didn't seem angry, not that she knew what an angry Itachi looked like when he kept his facial muscles so still, but she was certainly uncomfortable with his scrutiny. Yuuko resisted the urge to fidget under his gaze and fiddled with her bamboo brush instead, rolling in between her fingers slowly.

"Sasuke is napping. "

Man he had a deep voice for a kid. Perhaps her judgment was off because her own voice was still high pitched (the childish sound of her own voice was so ingrained by now she could no longer remember what her voice had sounded like before, only that she knew it had been a deeper more sultry sounds. An Alto all her life.)

"Oh. huh- of course."

Yuuko kept her eyes focused on the slowly turning brush. Felt the smooth edges of the wood, watched the horse hair tip weep slowly side to side as it spun.

When she wasn't forced to look into his eyes or watch his marble face she could more clearly think. Each breath in and out felt like an accomplishment.

In the silence her mind wandered. One would think that Itachi's love for his brother would be something she could praise, one tether that would make the boy less frightening, but that wasn't so. In her mind, Itachi was a boy of deep obsession. His love was a possessive, fanatical, compulsive thing. It almost couldn't be called 'love' in her own mind because it was so terrifying a thing- his devotion to both his village and his brother was far more horrific to her then they were admirable. He was almost the definition of 'over attachment'- or at least, he had been in the manga.

The sound of footsteps broke the stillness and both of the children turned their heads to see another boy accompanying Mikoto back into the kitchen. He was slightly older then Itachi, with black charcoal hair that had a slightly curly feathered quality that reminded her of her own family (perhaps his branch of the family was married into the Hagoromo in some way?). He had no headband but what definitely appeared to be a scabbard was buckled across his back.

Mikoto was smiling cheerfully, looking incredibly pleased as the older boy grinned at the two of them. Yuuko curled her feet in her shoes, set the brush down on the side of the ink well, and leaned back from the table.

"Itach-kun! How is my favorite little cousin?"

…Itach-kun?

Yuuko watched with wide eyes as the boy bounced right up to Itachi Uchiha, threw an arm around his neck, and pulled the boy close in a half hug. The displeased expression, (dare she call it a pout?), that crossed his face, made him look more childlike than anything else she had yet seen.

But after brushing off the boys arm with annoyed flick of his hand, the Uchiha heir's shoulders sat a little less tense then they had before.

"Shisui, what are you doing here?"

Ignoring his cousin, the one forename Shisui turned his sights on her.

Mikoto bustled up to the table, collecting inkwells, cups of water, and the spare paper. When she questioningly reached for her sons painting he grasped the edged with the slightest shake of his head. As she turned to put things away she leaned close to her son.

"Hey little Hagoromo sis! Long time no see!"

Yuuko cocked her head in slight confusion. They had met before?

"Huh, I guess with that look you don't remember me?" The boy asked, rubbing a hand through his hair in a sheepish manner. "Well, I guess it was a while ago…"

"My apologies…" Yuuko began nervously but the boy shook his head, grinning again.

"No worries, Hagoromo sis! This time I'll be sure to leave a lasting impression!"

Things trailed off awkwardly again.

But it seemed the boy called Shisui was better at managing such things then she was because he clapped his hands together in a determined manner.

"I know! Why don't we all go throw some shuriken?"

Itachi shifted ever so slightly in interest, his eyes going from Yuuko to his cousin's enthusiastic face. Yuuko tried to think of a polite way to say 'absolutely not.'

"It's a little chilly for that today, Shisui-kun" Mikoto called from doorway, this time she carried a wooden box in her arms. While not untrue this was such a flimsy excuse that it was certainly not her true reasoning. Still, Yuuko was not inclined to argue if the woman was getting her out of an even more awkward situation.

"I was thinking you all might enjoy a game of majong?" Mikoto said, indicating the box in her hands.

"Sure! That's a great idea Aunt Mikoto!" Shisui smiled and pulled up the seat next to Yuuko.

Why next to me? Actually, what are you even doing here if this was supposed to be some formal thing? Did I even have to wear this stuffy dress?

"Have you ever played before?"

For a moment Yuuko thought it was Shisui who had asked but no, Itachi was staring at her, waiting patiently for an answer.

"A few times. It's…been a while since I have played."

A life time in fact.

She only began to hope that the rules were the same as she remembered when the pieces were being set up. They weren't of course because nothing was ever so simple.

Things really settled in once the three began playing. Itachi was mostly silent but he was engaged in the game and Shisui was chatty enough to keep something of a conversation going. (She learned for example that Shisui was actually attending academy and in return she shared just the vaguest knowledge of some of the things she was studying from Ayaha.)

Mikoto brought over snacks sometime after their third round.

Once she had finished sorting out what rules were different- Yuuko took to the game like a duck to water.

She won one game and then another and another.

Four wins in a row and Shisui was jokingly teasing her about cheating and Itachi was giving her open but truly curious glances.

Time passed more quickly then she would have thought possible and it didn't feel like long before Mikoto told her that Shizutori had come to collect her. Itachi began neatly fitting the blocks back into their box.

By the door, as Yuuko put on her boots, The Hagoromo clan leader eyed Shisui and Mikoto with that ever strange smile of his. He said nothing about the other boy's presence though and simply gave a flash of teeth to his smile as he bid the Uchiha farewell.

"I hope you had a good time, Yuuko-chan. I hope you can come around again sometime soon." Mikoto said as she handed the girl her neatly folded painting to take home.

Itachi graced her with a solemn and respectful bow but his decorum was somewhat undercut by Shisui pulling his cousin into a half hug again as he called goodbye to her too.

Her feet dragged the whole way home. The adrenaline that had been pumping through her most of the morning had worn away and she was ready for an early bed. Shizutori left her at her front door with a grin and an elegant toss of his hair. Then he had the gall to jump from the ground straight up unto the roof of her house before flashing away.

Inside she found her brother sitting on the bottom steps of the stairs examining his hands. He clenched them and then stretched the fingers wide in an attempt to alleviate their aching. His short handled maul war hammers, huge, heavy things that hand been gifted to him from Takeko, were stuck to the floor before him.

Chewing on her lip a moment, Yuuko removed her shoes and went to join him on the steps. They sat together for a quiet moment, the only sound that of the houses soft creaks and moans. "How was practice?" She probed gently.

Her brother signed softly, shaking his head in a dejected manner with a twisted smile of doubt on his face. Watching his face carefully, she leaned against his arm and ignored the way the thick fabric of her outfit pulled uncomfortably.

After a moment he put an arm around her and they sat that way for a few more moments before getting up to start dinner.

Things continued on in that manner for almost another month. Yuuko's time stretched thin; balancing visits between the Aburame and the Uchiha as well as her sessions with Ayaha.

She had been right in her assumption that Nao would be less than pleased to now have to share Yuuko's time with someone else. To make up for this, Nao began stuffing their 'play dates' with as many things to as possible. Thankfully Nao had always been the busy but easily assuaged sort so Yuuko didn't have to do much but trot among after the little Aburame, listen attentively, and put in half way decent effort into any of these planned activities.

Her visits with the Uchiha grew ever so slightly more relaxed. Yuuko was thankful to say that Shisui joined every 'play date' she attended and his cheerful attitude kept things from growing too tense. Things were still a little uncomfortable between her and Itachi but at least both of her parents seemed satisfied for the moment that she was spending time with both clans.

Home again after a day spent learning the art of bee keeping from Nao and thoroughly exhausted, Yuuko shucked off her clothes into a pile and changed into her large sleeping dress. She tucked her feet into big thick socks (her feet were always freezing) and clambered into bed.

She dreamed of nothing.

And as the sun's rays crested back over the horizon at dawn- the world exploded into red.

* * *

Ok, so this is extremely raw. I finally finished and I just had to get it out so I am sure I will need to go back and edit. I just wanted to get something out for all of you who have been waiting.

A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed, I don't know if I would have been able to push through the troubles I had with this chapter without them. It's a huge motivator to know that people actually might want to see more of this.

Side note: Mikoto is totally devious. She was doing all kinds of stuff behind the scenes here. Also we get illusions of things in the political/personal history with Shizutori because Mikoto totally knows things.

Also side note: Majong (sometimes spelled Mahjong) is a real game. Originating in China I believe it also has Korean and Japanese versions. Having personally played it, I can say I am pretty bad at it. When I win, I win on pure luck.

Hope you enjoyed this pain in the ass of a chapter. Let me know what you all think! I will try and have the next one out sooner!


	12. Chapter 12

"Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes"- Bhaddekaratta Sutta-

Part 2

The world had imploded into red.

Horrific panic gripped her and she tried to twist her body in confusion. The cotton sheets were twisted around her feet and her heart was hammering painfully against her sternum.

What was happening?

Was the house on fire?

She couldn't breathe and something wet was dripping across her forehead. She felt too warm- lit from the inside like from some strange fever.

Yuuko stared wide eyed at the ceiling. Her open window that had as she had drifted to sleep, been drawing in the tinkling tune of her wind chime, was now beckoning screams. The earth was shuddering and quivering.

Was this an earthquake?

Her ears were ringing but her hands were too heavy to lift to cover them.

Yuuko had once compared chakra to gravity. The description was apt, for chakra was a naturally occurring force of this world. Learning to use chakra had been a lot like learning how to control a fall- all skill and practice. You learned to measure the distince, time your roll, how to roll your shoulder and weight to ease the strains. Occasionally something would be difficult or slightly off and maybe she would bruise but, when taught in small stages with a practiced teacher, the dangers were mostly minimized.

Now she was in free fall.

Now she was rocketing into the sky.

Now the world had become a beach, a beach straight for some twisted abominations nightmare. Her body burning hot and painfully slow, no matter how she struggled against the force slowing her. Like running on sand. Like drowning in molasses. No control just pure terror.

All of her muscles had locked.

The air had become an oozing sludge, like the first time she had visited Beijing and had choked on smog for the first time- but a thousand, a million times worse.

A siren was shrieking a deafening warning and all she could think of were those old war movies she used to watch with her father when she had been very young, before he had become too busy (too far away, then too …unattached). She had sat as close to him as she knew he would allow, together under soft blankets in that city high-rise apartment. Schindler's list, Life is beautiful, Sophie'c Choice, Jakob the Liar, Bent, and then later, older, alone- The Boy in The Stripped Pajamas, The Book Thief.

The bomb sirens ringing out and the villagers hid underground in terrified huddles, shaking and clutching at each other. Sometimes a hero would humm or tell stories. Other times the scenes past with nothing but the sounds of falling bombs.

There was no hiding now- she could not even force her body to curl up on itself.

She couldn't move. Again? Was she back?

But there was no pinch, no taste of pennies, no burning sun that had beat down on her for hours and hours and hours an-

The house shook again and she could hear glass breaking.

Was that the vase her mother had just bought? Her mother would be so upset...

What happening?

She had been awake only moments and she was drenched in sweat, her hair sticky and plastered against her forehead. Fever? What?

The door banged open so fast and hard that the track broke.

Hayato!

Her heart jumped against the stones that were pressing down on her chest (An old documentary on an old pilgrim village. A slightly overacted but somehow still meaningful reenactment of a stubborn but righteous man. "How do you plead?!" "More weight!" he called. He would not answer them.)

"Yuuko!"

Speed unhinged from its typical civilian façade, he was beside her in less than a second, moving in that way that made her eyes and head ache to witness.

He ripped the blankets away and pulled her up into his arms. How long had it been since he had last hugged her like this? Who was the last person to pick her up? She couldn't remember but it didn't matter anyway.

They were out of her room and thundering down the steps before she could even think. They were out of the bedroom, out of the house, out of the compound?- out -out -out. Long brushes of her brother's hair blew into her faces as they flew. And they did fly, or they might as well have been for all Yuuko could feel. Uselessly she flopped her head upon his shoulder, mindless of the metal arm guard pushing against her face.

No words were exchanged.

The arms curled _just_ painfully tight around her and her breath came just a bit easier. She was not alone.

"I've got you." So determined, her brother.

The world was glowing with blood. Not only could she taste it in the air but the sky had literally been tinged red. The horrid light caught the golden strands in the dark hair and the long braided ponytail whipped about in the hurricane winds. When had Hayato grown his hair out?

"Duck your face into my neck, hold on tight if you can. I need to go faster. "

This was not her brother Yuuko realized slowly.

Ayaha?

Where was Hayato?

They were on a rooftop. She forced her fingers to clench. Laboriously turned her head into the crook of Ayaha's they moved again. The wind was so harsh it was even harder to breath now. Her lungs aches, her chest burned- breathing in freezing air and fire. Part of a roof crumbles away and Ayaha stumbled to regain footing. Something heavy flew past them, missing them by inches. A wall? Part of a roof? A person?

People were screaming.

The sirens were still screeching.

Sometimes she thought she heard laughter.

She thought of that little speaker, tucked high in the upper corner of the kitchen. She though of herself and remembered how curious she had been. Now she knew that those sirens were for. Now she knew. "For emergencies" Hayato had said. Emergencies like the end of the world.

Yuuko has no time, no concept of direction. It was all a blur or horror. Her eyes were locked shut but tears leaked out.

Something smacked into them. Ayaha's body twisted on the impact, feet skidding as she tried to force her chakra to stabilize her. In the half a second of the impact Ayaha lost her grip and Yuuko plummeted down. Down. Down. Down.

She fell through space and time and fire.

Pain. White.

She was on her side. What had happened?

Her whole body vibrated as her nerves fired off.

She lay there for hours, years, days and all around were explosions that rocked the ground. Spurts of light lit the sky beneath her eyelids and sometimes specks of water too. The shouting continued.

Slowly she pulled her knees to her chest, curling inward.  
Where was Ayaha? Where was Hayato?

The screaming and yells continued, the air thick with dust and smoke. The ground was littered with debris and all manner of ninja tools- loose ninja wire, shuriken, and kunai dotted around. Something scrapped her ankle as she curled tighter.

Her left shoulder burned. Up and down her left leg was a deep bleeding scrape.

"Yuuko!"

Ayaha had found her.

She hadn't left her all alone. Yuuko forced a choked breath, try hard to regulate her breathing. Somewhere within her was the peace she found when meditating but she could not grasp it now.

The elder girl landed hard next to her, clothes in disarray and bleeding from a few scratches on her cheek.

"Are you alright? Is anything broken?" The teen demanded in a quick but not panicked voice.

Lightning streaked sideways across the sky.

Something large loomed over the village. Its head blocking out the moon and stars and all good things. An ear slitting sound, like nothing she had ever heard before, pounded so loud in her ears that her hands came up around her head as she fell backward in pain.

"Yuuko! Focus. Is anything broken?" Ayaha taped insistently but gently at her cheek with dusty callused hands.

Yuuko croaked a "No" through her cracked lips. She wanted to be a million million miles from this place. She never wanted to move again. Yuuko forced her eyes to focus on her teacher. The red light cast strange shadows.

Ayaha's eyes were alight.

There was something in those eyes that Yuuko could not comprehend. Some - enjoyment? This was what Ayaha had been molded for, this was what she had been denied.

"Ayaha!" a voice barked from somewhere above.

Another shinobi flickered to a stop, calling down to them. He was tall Yuuko thought hazily, and dressed in a dark flap-jacket. His pupils less eyes bulged unnaturally with veins. A Hyuga then. "Ittoku-sensei! You alright there?" Ayaha called back, still half crouched over Yuuko.

Flickering down beside them as Ayaha pulled Yuuko slowly to a sitting position, he snorted softly.

"Is that not my question? I saw you fall."

Ayaha shot him a glare but didn't reply.

Another explosion rocked the earth again. Yuuko swallowed through her nausea, head still ringing and in no small amount of pain.

The young man swiveled slightly, tracking movements they could not see with his byakugan.

"Since you don't seem critically injured I must continue on towards the front lines."

Ayaha, who had been preparing to pull Yuuko back into her arms, paused and set the girl back down. Standing back up, her feet seemed to move her unconsciously a few steps towards him, her face serious but composed as she nodded in understanding.

He spared no moment longer for sentiment and hopped up onto another houses partially demolished balcony.

The ninja glanced down at Ayaha again then back towards the heart of the chaos.

"It is good to see you back in action again." He remarked. And then he was gone.

Ayaha gathered the girl in her arms again and took off. She was slower now – more cautious and in a bit of pain from a weak ankle. They made it another few blocks before they were disturbed again.

Ayaha saw it coming this time- the spray of shattered rock and bloody guts sweeping toward them. She turned faster but still got clipped and Yuuko was thrown again. Not far this time- this time she dropped and rolled, swallowing dirt.

"Damn it!" Ayaha cussed in frustration, staggering back to her own feet.

Yuuko lay limp on the ground as Ayaha turned back toward her.

A force ripped through what was left of the house just across from Yuuko, showering huge chunks of wood and debris towards her.

Not one piece would touched her.

"Tsubasa Senpū no jutsu!"

There was a sparking flash and a gust of circular wind.

Yuuko's eyes clamped shut, her sticky tangled hair tossed about.

When she pried her dry eyes open, there stood Ayaha.

The elder girl was sweating, small tremors moving through her body, and all around her where the remnants of the deflected debris. Staring up at her teacher, Yuuko took in the girl's long braid, slightly unraveled as it whipped around in the high winds, the bruised hand on her hip, and the face lit with determination and fire.

"Let's get out of here" the elder Hagoromo smirked, please with herself.

And then a boulder of torn rock smashed into the young woman's head.

It caved like a pumpkin, collapsing inward, spraying blood and brain, and the weight of the rock cleaved half of her left shoulder in too- twisting and flattening the detailed metal of her beautiful arm guard.

The corpse smashed into the ground with a sickening thud.

Yuuko's hand stretched out without thought.

Ayaha?

A lightning crack of a scream tore across the world again and she fell backward in pain again, clutching at her head.

She needed to move. Needed to find Hayato or Takeko, or Helka.

Where was Helka?

Her lips tasted like blood- was her nose bleeding?

Helka was not here. No one was here but her. She could not stay- she had to move. She had to find someone. Her hands were still so tiny.

Shaking arms pushed her to her sock clad feed, dripping blood down her bleeding leg.

She ran.

The streets were a blur of desolation and destruction. Many a time she stepped on some forgotten ninja tool and cut through her sock into flesh.

Twice she nearly tripped over bodies.

She kept her eyes on what remained of the once road, scrambling over piles of broken homes. Ninja fluttered about overhead but she could not find breath or voice to call to them. None of them paid her any mind- plunging head first to meet death.

The shaking in her limbs grew worse until she could force herself no further. She collapsed and curled up in hiding- tucked behind a half standing wall of something that had once been a store.

She sat there quivering, pressed hard against the plaster of the wall, clutching at her head when roars and explosions rocked the earth.

The sun rose but the nightmare did not end with daylights break.

The fighting continued hours on.

Her dry tongue brushed across her cracked lips, eyes squeezed shut, toes clenched, arms wrapped around her knees in the smallest ball she could make. Her tears came through silent gasps and she coughed occasionally on the smoke and dust.

She rocked herself a little, humming mantra for hours. Her chest kept heaving, throwing her out of meditation and she jumped and twitched at the loud sounds. She wrested with herself- trying to force relaxation.

On and on and on.

She did not know when it grew quiet.

* * *

So this took forever I know and I'm sorry its short- this is just where things needed to end for this chapter... I'm sorry!

Things have been busy and stressful. It was my birthday and then my cousins wedding and a bit of an existential/identity crisis and then also a huge deadline at work. So it's been crazy. But the good news is that I have been writing, even if I haven't been posting so hopefully the next chapter wont take so long! All of your reviews have been so lovely- I really appreciate every single one. Honestly and truly.


	13. Chapter 13

"Ardently do today what must be done. Who knows? Tomorrow, death comes"- Bhaddekaratta Sutta-

Part 3

From the vast underground tunnels of the Aburame compound, Nao chittered in anger. Taking stock of those around the room, and patience having run dry, Nao stood and moved in the direction of the stair entrance. Jun's bǔniǎotakazhū clicked sharply in warning from Nao's shoulder.

Nao cast the insect an irritated glance.

(bǔniǎotakazhū – obvious from its large size, black-blue shine of its body, and the double paired rust-golden wings. Although normally docile, they produced one of the most painful stings on the planet. Only the ZheHachi and the Bullet Ant were anywhere near comparable.)

Nao did not mind being in the tunnels, like most Aburame, Nao was fond of the dark. What was irritating was being placed down here with crowds of other children, only to have Jun leave. Also there was a distinct lack of Yuuko that Nao did not approve of. At all.

The ground shook a little and several of the young Aburame gasped. Nao ignored them, staring down the giant wasp that had perched so comfortable on Nao's shoulder.

It was highly irritating that Nao had not yet finished building a tolerance to the bǔniǎotakazhū's venom.

None of this would even be happening if Jun had just done as Nao had said and had Yuuko live with them. Jun had been adamant so far that Yuuko couldn't, which was just stupid. That was why Nao had been forced to take action alone and had gone to the Aburame council. Nao had been certain they would see that Yuuko living with Nao was the only viable way forward. But the stupid council had only wanted to talk to Nao about how they had met and how close they were and how to invite Yuuko to visit- like Yuuko living in the compound wasn't a clearly superior option.

It had all led to this, being stuck underground alone and bored- without Yuuko.

Yuuko might even be with the stupid Uchiha! What a repulsive thought. Nao was clearly the one chosen by Yuuko anyway so why did Yuuko have to spend any time there at all? And now the village was being attacked and who knew how long it was going to be before Jun got back and Nao would be able to get the bǔniǎotakazhū off and go find Yuuko?

Nao continued the clicking, extra loud and continuous so all those around would know of Nao's irritation.

* * *

The inside of the ceremonial chamber was heavily fortified. Safeguarded by several high ranking shinobi, Itachi cradled his little brother close. Swaddled in a fleece blanket, Sasuke twisted his body, face scrunched in discomfort. Itachi himself was having trouble with the incredible weight of the killing intent that had swept through the village.

The malice of the dark chakra was unlike anything he had ever felt.

Mind running through multiple contingency plans should the room be compromised, Itachi curled his face and wrapped himself around his fussing brother.

Sasuke- was a world with such danger and hate what awaited his little brother?

* * *

Yuuko did not know when it had grown quiet.

Perhaps this was because the quiet had crept in, slithering and slinking in like a slow insidious disease. perhaps it was because her ears rang for hours after the sounds had actually come. Whatever the reason, once the stillness came, it was every bit as loud and awful as the ear shattering roars and screams that had preceded it.

Yuuko sat on a mostly intact door within the completely demolished ruins what had once been a store of some kind and gazed out at the sea of destruction. A maze of half houses and twisted rebar, and sparking electrical lines. It had been eerily quiet for hours. When she dared to try and peak around she found herself completely lost, unable to orient her position within Konohal- her mind unable to grasp the inner map she had begun to cultivate. Nothing but the mountain looked familiar- rows and rows and rows and rows of homes, shops, and bodies just demolished. All gone.

Her mind wandered fuzzily.

She could feel the layer of grime and smoke that had settled on her skin. It had sunk into her hair, her fingertips, and her soul in equal measures. She was feeling sick. Her stomach tight and her heart thumping strange in her chest.

There were no birds in the sky.

Periodically one of the grotesque half structures groaned and shifted, dropping wood and metal like the saddest of fall leaves.

Yuuko remained propped against the half wall, staring down at the remains of her socks. They had been so white; thick and warm. They were brown now, almost black in some places. The twisted metals and splinted woods she had run over had pulled on the fabric, ripping holes and gathering threads in bunches. Her fingers found a loose string and she picked at it mindlessly.

She wondered vaguely if anyone had survived at all. Maybe she was all alone now.

She should go look.

Maybe there were people injured and in need of help.

( Oh Ayaha….Ayaha…)

She couldn't make herself stand.

Her legs were still shaking with tremors and her eyes drooped. She fought them as best she could, pinching herself and biting her lip. Soon her body would not give her further choice in the matter.

It was starting to get warm, sitting under the still cresting sun. She was sticky with dried sweat and blood.

Her left shoulder throbbed and the blood oozing from the scrapes down her left leg had slowed to an exhausted weep. She wiped a bruised hand across her head, pushing clumpy hair out of her eyes and off her forehead.

Yuuko sat there and twisted the thread until it snapped.

Water.

It was raining from her eyes.

She was shaking again.

Yuuko buried her face in her hands. She was so tired, so thirsty, so utterly horrified. The tears refused to be stemmed.

All of those people.

(Ayaha)

She rubbed her aching hands across her face again, smearing away tears and grime. Raising her head with a shuddering heaving sigh and jumped as movement came from the very far corner of her vision. Yuuko turned quickly, scrambling to stand on her splintered sanctuary as someone rounded the corner.

Anbu.

That's who this person had to be. She had never seen one in person, not since another life when it had been through a screen, but the heavily black tactical gear and that unnerving mask were unmistakable.

The Anbu paused once they had come into full view, head tilting just a little, watching her through the porcelain.

The Anbu agent seemed very tall to her and was indeed dressed entirely in black tactical gear; thick pants tucked into black shinobi sandals, a short sleeved black shirt covered by a thick vest and arms covered by forearm-guards. The mask was…bizarre to see in real life and she couldn't really tell what animal it was supposed to be, just that it had ears. On the right shoulder was the thing Yuuko was really looking for, the Anbu tattoo.

Yuuko swayed a little on her feet but the operative made no move towards her. She blinked hazily, forcing herself to think.

Right- emergency protocol.

"A-Anbu-sama, I am Yuuko Hagoromo." Her voice cracked, pitch strange after- how many hours had it been since she had last spoken? How long had she been here?

She forced her shaking fingers into the standard Konoha sign for 'friendly'. She was supposed to sign 'civilian- friendly' but she couldn't remember 'civilian'. She knew she had studied other signs too, basic civilian hand signs, but she could not remember any of them now. She held the shape for a moment and then, arms stretched away from her body, she knotted her fingers in front of her, twisting fingers together in a sign of non-aggression. The old -open palm, hands-up stance, that was so common in her old life, was a stance that didn't work for shinobi. Too many jutsu could be started that way for it to be an effective show of peaceful intensions.

She blinked heavily.

'When confronted by any active Konoha shinobi, identify yourself calmly. Give the proper hand signs and relay relevant information quickly and concisely.' A voice in her mind murmured.

"My mother is Takeko Hagoromo and my father is Tsubasa Hagoromo."

Anbu hadn't waited for her to finish before nodding in what seemed like approval and stepping towards her. Was that protocol? What would she know?

She stumbled back a bit at the approach.

The Anbu agent crouched down easily in front of her and bent an elbow to offer the return call sign slowly and clearly- 'shinobi, friendly'. They would be eye to eye if the Anbu operative weren't wearing a mask. She wondered how uncomfortable that was. Probably very, she would guess.

They had to be very hot in all that black too.

Her thoughts circled back to her parents.

"I – I don't know where they are. But I am not badly injured."

The figure nodded softly in understanding, tilting their head to observe the scrapes along her left leg. They raised an arm, offering her a gloved hand.

Yuuko stared at it for a moment.

It stayed in the air, hovering patiently.

Oh. Yes.

She reached out and grabbed it. The glove was thin and flexible underneath her skin. The long black fingers curling gently but firmly around her hand. She was scooped into the Anbu's arms and lifted up. (Ayaha) Yuuko's hand grasped the fabric of the Anbu's shoulder on instinct- it was harder and thicker than the gloves. She had never touched Kevlar before and wondered if this material wasn't similar to it.

The Anbu operative was frighteningly smooth and efficient now that they had her in their grasp. They didn't seem to walk but drift across the ground, steps even and untroubled by the broken fragments of buildings or the littering of broken glass, bodies, and kunai. Even in this terrain they were utterly silent as they rested her head against the thick muscles of the Anbu's arms and stared out at the desolation.

 _When the prince was born_ , Yuuko remembered, _a wise man came down from a mountain.  
_

This was a story she knew intimately. She had heard it over and over and over-

 _When the prince was born_ _a wise man came down from the mountain. The old wise man went to the king and told him that his son would be either a great ruler or a great spiritual leader._

And the story came back to her now, replaying in her mind like an old friend.

 _Hearing these words the king was determined his son would be a great ruler. And so he kept the child in the inner most heart of his capital and sheltered him from all of life's cruelties- and the prince knew only beauty and opulence. As the child grew into a young man, the prince grew more and more curious about the outside world. And so one day, with the help of his faithful servant, the prince snuck away from the palace and ventured out into the edges of the capital._

The remanence of a window sprinkles a little more of its cracked glass to the ground as they walk by. Overhead another shinobi flitted past but Anbu payed them no mind. There was blood splashed across a wall, already drying in the baking sun. Yuuko could not tear her eyes away from any of it. Her heart hurt far worse than her throbbing leg.

 _As the prince walked the streets he encountered, for the very first time in his life, the sufferings of humanity. He saw a thin man in rags hobble the streets and did not understand._

 _"_ _He is poor, my prince" his servant told him._

 _And so he knew poverty._

 _He saw a man moaning and crying on a filthy bed. "He is ill, my Prince" his servant told him._

 _And so he knew sickness._

 _He saw a man still and cold. Around him people wept in great sorrow- and the prince did **not** understand. _

_"_ _He has died, my Prince." His servant whispered sadly to him._

 _And so he knew death._

From high on the Anbu's shoulder Yuuuko watched a severed hand pass by. She wondered who it belonged to. Where they still alive? She wondered where Anbu was taking her. She wondered at the magnitude of the loss.

Body jolting in the strong arms as her ears caught some sound, Yuuko realized they were coming upon people.

The sight was strange. Feelings of relief and sorrow raged inside her chest.

It was the academy, some part of her mind told her. She had been there once on a day so different it might has well have been from her other life. Ayaha has shown her...

Tall and made mostly of old strong wood, the building appeared completely untouched. It was heavily fortified too, surrounded by young children in headbands. (Some were gleaming in the sun, clearly new- as though they had been unwrapped from packaging only moments ago. Others were scratched and battered, weathered beyond anything new shinobi typically wore.) The children shifted on their feet, pale and anxious. Genin.

One of the young shinobi focused in on them, a fierce faced girl with a humongous gray dog leaning against her thigh. The Anbu holding her raised an arm leisurely and flashed a few quick Konoha signs and the girl replied with a few of her own, looking distinctly relieved.

The girl shifted her body slightly and the Anbu passed the child by, crossing over the parameter of defense the genin had established.

The long hallways were dark and cool after the hours in the hot sun.

Children were packed together, unnaturally quiet for children, huddled in groups. All of them were pale and a few were wiping tears. Most of the children were squatting or sitting, tucked close together. But a few children stood, eyes keeping close watch over their friends. Natural leaders who had emerged from the turmoil.

Yuuko isn't sure what she was expecting. Nothing really, by this point- so tired and warn. Some part of her had had the energy to think that Anbu would leave her here. But the Anbu agent paid none of the children a glance, moving smoothly around weepy children with a destination sure in mind.

They entered a classroom.

The children there were less weepy. Clan kids? Or maybe they were just academy students?

Her eyes ached. Her leg ached. Her heart ached.

They were moving down a set of stairs. Hadn't they just been in a classroom? Had her eyes closed? Had she drifted off without meaning to?

A door was pushed open.

She was slowly being pulled from the Anbu agents arms. Her body was so heavy.

"Another friend has come to join us!"

Who?

That voice was familiar- warm, excited, and loud. She had known this voice, once, maybe.

Anbu spoke then, low quick words Yuuko couldn't grasp. The world was falling away despite her. Sleep was coming for her and the world was fuzzy and her head was heavy.

Stranger's arms lowered her tenderly.

There was something padded under her. This room was cool and the padding was soft. Something was being wound around her leg but she didn't mind. Her eyes stayed closed. When had they closed? It didn't matter.

Her aching hands grasped a blanket on instinct.

Her eyes were closed.

There were other people in this room. She could hear them moving. It didn't matter really though.

Everything was far away. Hayato?

Far, Far, Far away.

Helka?

Someone had left the TV on… she couldn't feel the remote in her hands so it was just going to have to stay on. The couch felt harder than usual but she was too tired to get up and drag herself to bed.

"Come my young friends! Let us see if I can do 500 push-ups!"

Where was the remote? She should put the volume down just a few clicks…

Blackness

* * *

Hello everyone! I want to thank everyone for all the lovely reviews I got from the last chapter! I know I say it all the time but they really do mean a lot to me. 3

This chapter was hard for a multitude of reasons so I hope it came out alright. Also my first time trying multiple points of view which was interesting. It's not something I think I will do often but...who knows?

Side Tid-bit - the bǔniǎotakazhū is basically a tarantula hawk. They are giant wasps that really do have one of the worst stings on the planet. My translation of it comes from mixing the chinese word for tarantula (bǔniǎozhū) with the japanese word for hawk (Taka) .

Thank you all again for your reviews. Hugs and chocolate for you all!


	14. Chapter 14

"Both formerly and now, it is only suffering that I describe, and the cessation of suffering"- from the Sutta Nipata

Stepping back through the throng of Genin surrounding the academy, Anbu glanced back to give the building a considering look.

So that had been the Hagorom's prodigy.

The Inuzuka child Anbu had passed when entering the building frowned, body tense in a way Anbu knew meant she was considering asking the agent something. Anbu tilted their head, giving the girl another once over. She was surer on her feet then many of the other sprout-Genin standing around. Likely then a recent graduate and not one of the fodder given a field promotion last night. Still, Anbu would remember the girls face.

A surge of chakra flowed effortlessly into a shunshin.

From a rooftop halfway across the village from the academy, Anbu stretched out their chakra sense. As expected of the Hyuga, their compound was empty. The Hyuga would have long evacuated.

Suppressing a sigh, Anbu quick stepped from the roof to the cracked street below.

Fishing about in a vest pocket produced an old ration bar. Behind the porcelain mask, Anbu grimaced slightly. It would taste awful but it should help combat the chakra strain Anbu was starting to feel.

With two more compounds to check before branching into civilian neighborhoods, Anbu unfurled the wrapper and pushed the granola behind the mask for a bite. Chewing quickly, Anbu took off again.

That child. That Hagoromo.

Anbu had heard rumors of course, that the fading Hagoromo had been blessed with a prodigy child.

At first, Anbu had assumed it was nothing more than the usual political posturing of a dying clan. Titles such as 'prodigy' were not given easily and it seemed unlikely one would be blessed to the Hagoromo of all clans. But then the Aburame had acknowledged the title and made an open (and very public) request to meet. Anbu had known then, even if it wasn't a true prodigy, that the Hagoromo clan had someone of great interest among them. The Uchiha had caught on around that time too it seemed because in invitation from that them had come not long after. It must have been a nice sucker punch for the Hagoromo to deny the Uchiha first visitation.

Having now meet the girl themselves, Anbu still wasn't quite sure what to think. The child had not possessed the hard-edge typically found in prodigy children…but the chakra coming off that child. That Anbu would not soon forget.

Anbu Moon was a decent chakra sensor, skilled enough for basic tracking but not sensitive in the way some gifted individuals were. The chakra coming off that girl had been enough to make Anbu nauseous. Gifted chakra sensitive's sometimes reported getting headaches or nausea from long exposure to Hagormo clan members, but Anbu Moon had never experiences such a thing until their chakra had honed in on that girl. It had been pure luck to stumble across her while on the way to check the Yamanaka compound and the whole way to the academy Anbu had been forced to emit a steady stream of their own chakra to counter balance and ground themselves.

Jumping another rooftop Anbu Moon caught the faint sounds of crying down a broken street to the left.

Anbu paused.

She knew this street. Her own childhood home had been right around the corner from this very spot. Most of these houses here were crushed. She had been in war zones for so long she had thought her heart immune by now but god fucking damn it. This was her _home_.

The wind whipped past, pulling breaths of fresh air intermingled with ash and death.

Unbidden, her thoughts turned toward her daughter. Her own little moon, tucked away with her father in the fourth quadrant shelter.

The crying continued.

She closed her eyes and forced air hard, out through her nose.

Anbu turned away from the sound.

Other agents would be assigned to those neighborhoods and Anbu had been tasked with searching for clan children first. To deviate from this without cause would bring unnecessary confusion and inefficiency for all involved. Anbu would search where Anbu was bid to search.

And if she finished quickly, she would have no reason not to return and seek out the source of the crying.

* * *

When Yuuko woke she was still tired. Tired in a way she had been only one time before. It was the kind of bone emptiness that came from numbness. She had probably been in shock. For all she knew she was still in shock.

Yuuko pushed her eyes open, ignoring their grittiness and the still calling lull of sleep.

She was in a basement.

Or at least that was her best guess, judging by the thick slab windowless walls and the slight damp cool that clung in the air. The floor was unfinished concrete. Yuuko was laying on one of many padded quilts that littered the room. And there were children too- many tucked beneath blankets of their own and sleeping deeply.

In the very center of the room however there was a man with a toddler on his back.

Pushing herself into a sitting huddle, sure to keep the blanket wrapped around her, Yuuko watched the man go down and then up – down and then up – down and up.

A few other children were huddled around him, watching quietly, man bent his elbows, lowering himself with controlled precision. He hovered, chest just barely above the floor, and then he rose again, back completely straight. And again he rose. And again."I wans up too!" one of the kids pouted.

The man laughed. It was a good laugh. Very kind.

His arms never paused but he turned his head, his black hair shifted, and Yuuko caught just the corners of a grin. "Climb up then! And I will lift you both 800 times!" The man proclaimed. The children clapped in awe but one little boy shook his head in disbelief, "no way! No one can do dat! Dats too many!"Lowering himself smoothly down again, the man actually lifted a hand to flash the boy a thumbs up. "You too then! Climb up and I will show you the power of my youth! And if I don't lift you both up 800 times I will run on my hands to Suna and back!"

This man, Yuuko thought, this man had to be Might Guy.

His voice was boisterous but not the overwhelming boom she would have assumed it would be.

The children clapped in amusement and the other boy joined the toddler on Gai's back. The added weight did nothing to disturb his control of speed but he did lift his head to grin more widely at the impressed children's cheers.

His eyebrows were thick but not nearly as comical as they had been shown from Before. He had large dark brown eyes. There was no saving that jumpsuit though.

He seemed so very young.

Yuuko closed her eyes. She was avoiding. She didn't want to think about…anything. She didn't know even how to begin.

Time passed slowly- hours dragging by.

Gai was surprisingly skilled at keeping the children behaved. He was jovial and friendly enough to keep their attention and didn't mind playing childish games either. His strange mannerisms and impressive, if silly, exercise challenges kept the children focused on him and not on the things that had happened the night before.

The Anbu agent that had rescued Yuuko returned briefly twice more, passing along a few other children, signing quickly with Guy and flitting off again.

Still feeling tired and shaken Yuuko snuggled deeper into the makeshift bed. She drifted softly in and out of slumber, safe under the warm blankets but was unable to really sink into sleep. Turning in her side, heedful of her bumps and bruises, she observed the other children.

There was a very young toddler dressed in gold embroidered pajamas, a pair of dark haired twins sitting together in a far corner yawning at each other, a bright blond haired girl only slightly older looking the Yuuko who had to be a Yamanaka. There had to be fifteen or so kids. All children from wealthy politically sensitive ninja clans.

That had to by why they were all being personally guarded by a valuable asset like Might Guy. It was why they hadn't been dumped upstairs in the halls like the common folk.

Yuuko bit her lip hard and closed her eyes again.

What had happened to her family? What about Nao and Jun? The Uchiha? Those kind librarians? The morning market fruit-stand lady? That blacksmith she had watched? Were any of them still alive?

'Ayaha….Oṃ Amideva Hrīḥ….'

Yuuko cast her thoughts to Amitabha, the Buddha of infinite radiance.

'Oṃ Amideva Hrīḥ …. Oṃ Amideva Hrīḥ…

Ayaha….may you one day awaken in Sukhāvatī…

Avalokiteśvara, one of infinite compassion, please help free me from my suffering…

Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ…. Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ… '

* * *

The Hokage was dead and the Bijuu defeated.

Task understood, Jun bowed to the Aburame elder and departed. This would best serve to get there quickly. Jun could only hope that Nao's patience would stretch a bit longer. Nao's ambitions would but be curbed only so long, threat of sting or no. It would be an ill day when Nao completed their immunity training.

The upper streets of the Aburame compound had suffered damage but compared to the destruction in other parts of the village, Jun considered that they had gotten off rather lightly.

Several other Jounin greeted Jun at the walls breach. Konoha's outer wall had huge chunks missing and the chaos within meant it would be all too easy for foreign enemies to sneak past their borders and take advantage. All active Chounin had been called to form reach and rescue parties. Genin were divided among the hospital and shelters and they would be mitigated to reconstruction as soon as feasible. Half of the Jounin, including Jun, had being called to form triple deep patrols- to surround Konoha. The other half of Jounin were split between completing what active missions had been on going and aiding Genin and Chounin. What Anbu did was not any of Jun's concern.

Coming upon a familiar pair of Yamanaka and Nara, Jun nodded in greeting.

bǔniǎotakazhū burst from Jun's coat collar.

They took to the leaves and the grass, flying far and reaching out to cast an invisible net.

Jun listened to the clicking.

The bǔniǎotakazhū chattered in irritation, the smoke and dust did not bother them but the lingering demon chakra burned their sensitive systems.

Several yards away a bǔniǎotakazhū clicked in familiarity. The sound echoed down the line and Jun's head tilted in surprise.

If the boy was here, where was - ?

It would have to wait until later. Jun had a duty to fulfill.

* * *

The hours passed slowly.

Eventually of course, little tummys ran empty and not even Guy could entertain away hunger. Some of the children cried loudly. Yuuko tucked the blanket up higher and tried to plug her ears. She was relieved when a Genin came carrying water pouches and ration bars to appease them.

One their hungers were sedated the children all settled in for a nap.

The room grew quiet but for the soft sounds of children snores and the steady breaths coming from Guy in his 700- something crunch.

It was not long after the children all went down that the little sanctuary was invaded. (It was illogical, but Yuuko half wished no one would ever show up at the door. She just wanted everything to stop. Stop for just a moment. She wanted everything to just stay where it was for just a few hours until she was ready to have to start coping.) One by one, parents and family members came to collect their missing children.

Growing uncomfortably stiff after all the time on her back, Yuuko crawled out and settled on top of the blanket. Her left foot slid up on to her right knee, forming a half lotus position. Careful of her bandaged leg she decided against resting her right foot on top of it. Half lotus would do fine.

She closed her eyes and breathed.

Her fingers curled and twitched, unconsciously counting invisible malas beads.

What was happening outside?

The scrapes on her left leg itched, they had to be scabbing over.

Where was Hayato?

Focus was hard to achieve.

"Hello my young friend!"

Yuuko breathed deeply- feeling her nostrils flare, her lungs fill from the very bottom to the top. She released the breath slowly through her mouth.

"I have been most remiss in introducing myself! I am the great fighting green beast of Konoha, Maito Gai!"

Yuuko let her eyes fall open.

He was squatting on his haunches, hands resting on his knees, face breaming at her. She marveled a little at him. It was so strange. So strange to see that face given physical form. The prominent Asian nose, the high cheekbones, sharp white teeth.

"Hello Gai-san," Yuuko blinked calmly, proud her voice was holding steady and sounding a bit more like herself.

The young man twisted sharply and clutched a hand to his chest, "So cool!" he shouted.

He really was a dramatic one, Yuuko thought as he twisted back towards her.

"So cool a response from such a lovely flower!" he grinned.

Flower?

"what is your name, cool flower?"

He was so ridiculous it was hard to believe. She could feel amusement creeping up in her as she answered, "Yuuko Hagoromo, Gai-san."

His eyes seemed to light up brighter at her unusually masculine name and he guffawed a bit of a laugh. He sounded almost impressed, as though her name was her own doing. "A strong name for a fierce cool flower!"

He stood straight up to full towering height and flashed her a thumbs up.

There was a heat in her chest. Her eyes were soar from exhaustion and all the smoke from earlier and her hair was a rats nest. The world felt like it was falling apart again. But there were still people like licked her chapped lips a little and felt her lips twitch a little into a small smile. "Thank you, Gai-san. I- I think your name is quite unique too." A knock at the door pulled his attention away and Yuuko let her eyes fall shut again.

Breath.

It was a little easier to concentrate now.

She repeated her mantra- over and over and over.

Another few hours gone by and Yuuko was one of the few remaining children left.'What if no one ever comes for you?' dark thoughts whispered across her mind. Yuuko pushed them away. If no one came, then no one came.

The door opened without a knock. Yuuko's eyes blinked open in surprise.

It was Shisui.

A tired, scratched, and battered looking Shisui. But definitely an alive looking Shisui. A Shisui with a gleaming headband shining against his dark hair.

When had that happened?

Yuuko was on her feet before she could even think. Faster than even that, Gai moved across the room to block the doorway. "Young Uchiha!" he greeted in a cheery voice. Shifting to look around the Jounin, Shisui's eyes flickered around the room and settled on Yuuko. He moved to take a step and Gai bent and put his grinning face right into Shisui's own."My most youthful young friend! I am Konoha's infamous fighting green beast! What brings you to our glorious gathering here?" he shouted happily at Shisui's face. Several of the remaining children giggled.

Shuffling a bit to the side, Yuuko watched Shisui from around Gai's impressive bulk. She stepped forward a bit. "Gai-san?" she murmured a little. The Uchiha rocked back on his feet a bit, giving ground to the Jounin. The boy loosened his face onto a smile, shoulders remaining just a bit too tense. "Apologies Gai-san."

"Oh ho ho! So you know the identity of Konoha's green beast!" Gai exclaimed proudly, hands on his hips.

Shisui hummed an affirmative "Yes, and I am –"

"Shisui Uchiha." Yuuko interjected, stepping forward a hit more. "Hello Shisui." She added. 'I am so glad to see you are alive' she doesn't say.

"Hey Yuuko-chan," He smiled tiredly back. Returning his focus to Gai, he explained, "Yuuko-chan is a close friend of the Uchiha family. When Mikoto-sama learned that she was here, I was asked to bring her to the Uchiha compound. We can watch over her for now."

For now? What did that mean? How did you know where I was, Shisui?

Gai stepped back and put a hand to his chin.

Yuuko bit her lip a bit, thinking hard. "I know Mikoto-sama, Gai-san. I have been the main house a number of times." She told the Jounin.

That seemed to settle the matter for him. Gai spun and struck a pose at her, "very well, cool flower! I will accompany you to the Uchiha compound!"

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to be doing?" she heard Shisui mutter.

Yuuko gave Gai a confused look. Wasn't he supposed to watch the remaining children?

A puff of white smoke cleared her confusion.

Right. Clones.

* * *

I have been so very honored by all he reviews I've gotten. Seriously, all of you are amazing. I don't really know what else I can say besides- 'Thank you!'. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm not really happy about where it ended but I just want to get this out. I didn't want to keep you guys waiting any more.

Amitabha- Principle Buddha of Sukhāvatī. His name means 'infinite light' or 'infinite radiance'.

Sukhāvatī- Western Paradise or Pure Land. The idea is sort of similar to heaven, prominent in Tibetan Buddhism.

Avalokiteśvara- Buddha of compassion ties to Guan Yin. They have been mentioned before at Yuuko's first funeral, if you remember.

Malas bead- prayer beads often used to count. Sort of similar to a rosary.


End file.
